


All My Brothers

by RebaJean



Series: All My Brothers [3]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-02-11 04:50:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 15
Words: 54,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12927834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebaJean/pseuds/RebaJean
Summary: Sailor Moon romantic comedy set in the years post-Stars & pre-Crystal Tokyo. Usagi and Mamoru face an unexpected development in which their family becomes somewhat larger than just three . . . and much sooner than the anticipated arrival of Chibi-Usa. Life in imaginary Tokyo where students can afford luxury apartments, designer fashion, and exotic vacations, accompanied by sappy romance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Characters are based on Sailor Moon copyright 1992 by NaokoTakeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation, English language adaptation copyright1995 by DIC Entertainment. This story is not intended for monetary gain or tangible profit, but purely for entertainment of the readers.
> 
> Notes: This is an alternate timeline / storyline.

Chapter 1

~* ~* ~*

Usagi sat on the edge of the koi pond idly tossing pebbles into the water and watching the patterns of the ripples. Her friend Rei finished raking the gravel curves around the giant black meteorite in the center of the meditation garden at Cherry Hill Temple. The other girls had already left.

"Why did you want me to stay? Its late, nearly dinner time and I'm starving", whined Usagi.

"I wanted to try and talk some sense into you privately", answered Rei. "You're going to get yourself in trouble if you don't stop sneaking out at night alone to go over and stay at Mamoru's. You could get mugged or worse. Not to mention, Chibi-Usa's not around any longer to play chaperone."

Red faced, Usagi shouted angrily, "Who told you that? I'm going to pound them into the ground!"

"Luna", replied Rei. "She said she was worried about you and that you wouldn't listen to her."

"Where is that nosy cat! I'm gonna throw her in the pond for your fish to eat!" Screeched Usagi.

Luna slipped out of sight around a boulder. "My, my," said Luna to herself, "at least Rei is getting some reaction."

"Rei, I don't see that my PRIVATE affairs are any of your business anyway," complained Usagi.

"Anything that can hurt you is scout business. Even if it's your own stupidity at getting yourself into a situation that you shouldn't," replied Rei.

"Nothing like that's gonna happen," pouted Usagi, "Mamoru never does anything; he's always a perfect gentleman." Adding to herself, "No matter what I do."

"Oh, I'm not worried about anything he might do. You're the one that can't be trusted to behave! You have no control with food and eat constantly. You always sleep late. You never study. And you're incredibly lazy," cataloged Rei.

"I'm not staying around here any longer just so you can insult me. You're just a bossy, nosy, old grouch!" cried Usagi as she ran out of the temple grounds.

"Sorry about that Rei. At least you tried," said Luna as she emerged from beneath the bushes where she was hiding. She trotted out the gate following Usagi home at a safe distance.

~* ~* ~*

Running down the stairs, snatching her math book off the pile on the table, Usagi flew out the door. Yelling over her shoulder, "I'm off to do math, got some problems due tomorrow and a test."

She hopped, skipped, and jogged along the street, partly from the chill February night air, partly from anticipation. As usual, she reached Mamoru's apartment much more quickly than the walk home. Ringing the bell, she danced around juggling her math book, purse, and shopping bag from her expedition with Minako earlier that day.

Mamoru answered the door clad in a solid black set of sweats. "Oh, Hi Usagi, come on in." Seeing her textbook, he groaned, "I'm not going to do your homework for you this time, no matter how much you whine and beg. It's late and I'm beat. Couldn't you have started earlier for once?" Usagi didn't stop to answer, tossing her jacket and stuff in the corner. She flew at him in a move like a football tackle and grabbed him in one of her bear hugs. This elicited a genuine groan of pain, "Watch it, please! I'm still hurting from that dustup this afternoon at the Power Plant Park."

Concerned, she asked. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"Oh, it's nothing much," he answered. "Makoto got jumped this afternoon and called Ami for help. I think you and Minako were still in detention. Rei and I were the only ones close enough to get there in time. I was checking out the new mountain bike trails and so was right there. Makoto was surrounded by like ten huge weird looking guys in old 60's hippie outfits. They were sort of bulked up about twice normal size. Makoto took out four; I got the rest except for two that got away. Rei blasted one guy running toward the lake and I chased after the other guy who climbed to the top level of the old power plant. While we were fighting we sort of rolled down some stairs. When I knocked him out he went back to normal size."

Mamoru moved into the kitchen and told Usagi to bring in her math and to get started while he fixed some coffee. She actually worked, with the usual moans, groans, and complaints about cruel taskmasters, for about an hour. The phone rang, interrupting the current series of whining. Mamoru answered the phone and passed it to Usagi, "It's for you. It's your Mom."

"Hi, Mom," Usagi answered. "Say how did you know where I was?" She inadvertently asked out loud, curiosity getting the better of her.

Unfazed her mother answered, "Well, it was either Ami's or Mamoru's since your math book was gone. And I think I know who would be more likely to help you this late when you show up at their door begging. That poor guy is a pushover where you are concerned. You do know how late it is don't you? Are you finished yet? How much longer do you think you will be?"

"Well, gee, I dunno. I'm only about half done, he wouldn't do any of the problems for me and made me do them myself," she pouted. This was accompanied by laughter from Mamoru at Usagi's comments. She stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes at him.

"Well it's too late for you to be out alone. Have Mamoru drive you home when you finish," began her mother, but stopped in mid-sentence. "I just remembered, is he all right? He rode by here on his bike this afternoon looking for you and seemed kind of dazed or out of it. He was all scraped and bruised and the back of his tee shirt had a bunch of blood spots. He said that he took a spill in some thorn bushes. He wouldn't let me look at any of it though. If he has a head injury, that could be serious, and he should have somebody watch him."

"Hey, let me put you on hold so I can call Makoto and check out something," said Usagi to her Mom. She called Makoto and asked for her version of what had happened at the park that afternoon.

Makoto confirmed most of what Mamoru had told Usagi. "But he didn't just 'sort of roll down some stairs'. He and that guy were grappling and fell head first down four levels of caged ladders and then rolled down two levels of stairs punching each other. Mamoru took the weight of both when they landed. The guy landed some pretty good blows before Mamoru took him out." Makoto said.

Usagi frowned, and put her mother back on the line. "Makoto was at the park today and saw Mamoru take a pretty bad fall. But I guess Mr. Tuff Guy must be all right because he landed on his head like you thought."

Ikuko sighed, "You better see if you can patch him up some. And although it's against my better judgment, stay there tonight to make sure he's okay. I'm sure he won't mind. 'You' behave though, Usagi."

"Okay, bye, Mom." Replied Usagi as she hung up the phone. "You won't believe," began Usagi, "My Mom told me to sleep with you tonight, uh ... I mean stay here tonight and make sure you're okay," she finished, blushing furiously. From Mamoru's raised eyebrow and smirk it was evident Usagi was in for some major roasting.

Cutting him off before he could start in on her, Usagi said, "Okay, buddy, strip. Let me see how much damage you took today and what needs to be cleaned up." Mamoru let out a loud "Yeeouch!" as Usagi tugged at his sweatshirt. "Oh, yuck! The cotton stuff is all stuck on those scrapes on your back. I'm going to have to clean that off again. Didn't you put anything on these cuts and scrapes?" she asked.

"Ow that hurts! I took a shower to wash off the dirt. Ouch! You're using that stuff that really stings!" he whined.

"Oh stop being a baby, you don't even let out a sound when you really get hurt. You're just trying to get me to stop. Now let me do your legs." She ordered.

He backed away protesting, "I don't have anything else on."

"Well quit stalling, go put on some shorts or something. It's not like I haven't seen you at least a hundred times when you transform." She shouted at him as he retreated into the closet.

After she finished putting ointment on all the rest of the injuries, she said "There all done. Was it really that bad?" Mamoru's back and legs were a patchwork of gauze, tape, and Band-Aids.

"Yes. You're being mean. When I doctor you, I'm always kind and gentle." He complained.

"Well go lay down and I'll rub on some of this liniment stuff that's supposed to help bruises." She replied. Usagi coated him with liniment and massaged away much of the stiffness and pain. Mamoru was half-asleep by the time she was finished. "I'm going to change and go to sleep too," she called over her shoulder as she headed for the bathroom. Usagi tossed her clothes on the pile of laundry in the corner and changed into the gown and kimono from her shopping bag.

"How do you like this? It's new," she asked as she came back into the bedroom. A floor length wine colored kimono covered a short, low-cut camisole of matching silk and lace. There was no answer from the sleeping form draped across the bed. Usagi tossed her robe on the floor, crawled under the blankets, and went to sleep.

In the early morning hours before dawn, Usagi awoke with a start. All her senses were alive. "What, where?" she thought. Familiar touch, scent, and warmth surrounded her. She relaxed. She was curled up against Mamoru, her head tucked under his chin, enfolded in his arms. He was moving restlessly against her. She tried shifting away a bit but he just pulled her in closer. Totally distracted, she thought "There's no way I can go back to sleep, and he doesn't even know what he's doing to me." She turned to look at his face silhouetted in the moonlight from the window. Fast asleep. Desire overtook her; she turned back to him, and joined him as he dreamed.

A bit later Usagi felt Mamoru shiver. He rolled over, murmuring "Meatball head, I love you," and began snoring. Still keyed up, she sighed and turned over, curled back to back for warmth. She burrowed under the covers and drifted back to sleep.

Usagi awoke to bright morning light. Gentle fingers were smoothing her hair back off her face and a pair of deep blue eyes gazed up at her. She was holding Mamoru close to her, his head pillowed on her chest. "I could get used to waking up like this. Do you know just how much I love you?" he asked.

She smiled and reached over and began combing his unruly mop of black hair out of his eyes. "As much as I love you?" she bantered. Sliding a hand back over his shoulder, her fingers encountered some of the bandages she had applied the night before. "If you'll scoot over I'll check and see if any of these patches can come off," she said.

"I can't move, you've got me trapped," he countered. There were blankets, sheets, and legs twisted and tangled together.

"Well untangle yourself and roll over silly, " she replied. Pulling back the sheet covering them, his eyes widened a bit as he gazed at her. "You're blushing," she giggled.

"Well so are you, and you should be, trying to tease me that way," he laughed. Mamoru reached out and smoothed the hem of her gown back down over her hips. He pushed the straps of her top back up over her shoulders and straightened the neckline. His fingers lingered and traced the path of her strap up her shoulder to her neck and drew a warm path up the side of her neck and face. Raising up, he cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her lightly.

"Who's teasing who?" She murmured as she responded passionately, drawing him closer.

A horrible buzzing, clanging noise filled the room. Mamoru swatted at the alarm clock trying to kill the offending noise. On his third try he hit the snooze button. "That will only shut it up for about ten minutes," he said.

The mood broken, Usagi said, "I might as well see to your back." She padded into the bathroom and retrieved the ointment and liniment for sore muscles. She pulled off the bandages and tape. "It's not too bad now, everything except some of the deeper cuts are healing up pretty well. It's a good thing you heal super fast," she commented.

"Yeah, but that's why I didn't want your Mom to see any of it yesterday," he answered.

"So I'll just put some of this cream on and leave off the bandages," Usagi concluded.

Mamoru stood up behind her, looking down. "I think I need a shower first," he said.

Usagi put the medications in her hands down on the nightstand. "I could use a shower too," she murmured low and suggestively, batting her eyelashes at him.

He reached around and hugged her to him and nuzzled her shoulder and neck. "I think you're trying to seduce me. You're wearing that short thing, you sleep with me, and now you want to take a shower with me," he teased.

"Mmm, maybe," she whispered. Kissing the nape of her neck, he continued, "It's working. I was dreaming about making love with you last night."

She answered, "I know."

Again the noise of the alarm intruded. With a sigh, Mamoru shut off the noise, and headed into the bathroom. "I think it's trying to tell us something."

Rummaging through the pile of laundry in the bathroom corner, Usagi retrieved her top, panties, and hose. "I can't find all my clothes. I can't go home dressed in pajamas," she complained to the figure in the shower.

"Well they're not in here with me," he quipped, "I was already asleep when you came to bed last night. I don't know where you hid your stuff. Take something of mine if you need to, I don't care." Usagi moved out into the other room in front of the mirror to fix her hair.

Emerging from the closet dressed in scrubs and carrying his lab coat, Mamoru fished Usagi's robe from the floor and threw it to her. "Do you want to finish your math while I fix something to eat?" he asked.

"Sure, but I still need to put some medicine on your back," she answered.

"Any excuse to get your hands on my gorgeous body," he said with a grin.

"You're impossible! You are SO conceited!" Usagi replied laughingly. She quickly applied the ointment to his back and legs and straightened his scrubs. Then smiling evilly, she swatted his butt and ran into the kitchen. Mamoru started to run after her but stopped and again retrieved her robe from the floor.

Usagi was seated at the kitchen table, apparently diligently looking at her papers. Mamoru tossed the robe at her, which landed on top of her head. "Put that on now, if you want any help. There's no way I can come over and think about math with you to look at. You're way too distracting." Usagi smiled at his flattery and finally slipped on the robe.

After Mamoru had left for work, Usagi washed the dishes and showered. Scrounging through his dresser, she tried to find something that might work for street clothes. Everything was way too big. The pants were all too long. The shirts were huge. That was it, a long shirt, she thought. Usagi found a sleeveless sports jersey that just might work as a jumper. She tried it on. That looks ok, not too bad, she critiqued her appearance in the mirror.

Usagi made it home with a couple of minutes to spare to change into school clothes. Ikuko came by her room as she was changing. "How is Mamoru doing?" she asked.

"He's ok. It wasn't nearly as bad as it looked yesterday," Usagi temporized. "I dosed him with antibiotic cream last night and again this morning before he left for the hospital."

Her mom looked at her curiously, "The hospital?"

"To go to work. All his medical school class has clinical rotations for the next two weeks. They work at the hospital all day and have lectures in the evening. Then he has to work at his regular job all day Saturday and Sunday," sighed Usagi.

"It sounds like he won't have much time for anything for a while. Why don't you invite him for dinner Thursday? He still needs to eat," said her mother.

"Good idea! Thanks, Mom," called Usagi as she flew out the door.

~* ~* ~*

A ringing phone awakened Usagi from a dreamless slumber. Her cat clock shone 11:00PM. Who would be calling this late? "Hello," she answered sleepily.

"Hi, Meatball Head!" a deep voice replied.

Usagi complained, "Oh, you, you…you called this late to wake me up just to insult me?"

"No, I just got off class and came home to a dark empty apartment. I miss you," came the quiet reply. "Do you know how hard it was to leave you this morning?" Warmed and touched by Mamoru's question, Usagi smiled at the cat curled up across the room who was listening to the side of the conversation that she could hear.

They talked for a few minutes until Usagi stifled a yawn. "Sorry, I didn't catch what you said," she responded sleepily. "I love you too. Oh, yeah, don't hang up. Mom said you should come over for dinner on Thursday after you get off work. She said she knows you don't have a lot of time but you still need to eat."

Mamoru laughed in reply. "Hey, so how did you do on that math test? The usual?"

"No", came a slightly frosty reply. "This time I did good. I got a 90."

"90? No way," said a surprised sounding Mamoru.

"Why doesn't anybody believe me? My dad asked if I had changed a 30 to a 90. I'm not really that stupid; I just hate that kind of stuff, and you know I hate studying," complained Usagi.

"Sorry, I'm just surprised. I'm not trying to insult you this time. And I don't want to hurt your feelings," apologized Mamoru. "I love you and want you to be happy. And I wish you were here with me," he added.

"I wish I was with you too," whispered Usagi as she put away the phone.

~* ~* ~*

A couple of days later, Motoki and Mamoru were kicked back watching the  
futbol match on the big screen TV at the Sports-Bar-Laundry. "Want another round?" asked Motoki.

"Sure, get a pitcher this time, there's still a pile of stuff to wash and it looks like this game will run over," answered Mamoru. "I'm too tired to care if I fall asleep in class tonight anyway."

Motoki returned from the bar with another pitcher and some pretzels, pausing to stare at something in Mamoru's laundry basket. After depositing the snacks on their table he sauntered back over to the basket. With a grin, he held up a lacy bra and a short white skirt. Digging deeper to see what else was buried, he pulled out a burgundy silk kimono and matching short lacy camisole. He held the camisole up against his shirt as if checking it for size. "Got a new hobby you want to tell me about? When did you take up cross-dressing?" he teased.

"Nah, that's more your style," retorted Mamoru.

Twirling the items in question around in the air, Motoki held up the skirt and measured it with his hands. "That looks more like Usagi's size to me. Spill it, Buddy." Approaching his friend more closely, he peered at Mamoru. "Nope, your ego isn't any more super-sized than normal and you don't have that stupid grin you get when you've been up to no good. So I'm guessing you didn't score."

"Whata you know, how do you know it's even her stuff? You know I gotta beat 'em off with a stick," muttered Mamoru.

"I've helped you get away too many times before. And even with the way you two squabble constantly, you've been gone on each other for years. Besides, no other girl would put up with the crap you give her.

Hey man, what you two do is your own business. But you treat her right. She was hurt really bad that time you broke up with her. I don't like to see my friends hurt," Motoki warned.

Quietly, as if to himself, Mamoru replied, "I don't ever want to see her hurt like that again either."

~* ~* ~*

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Come on back into the den," said Usagi as she led Mamoru down the hall toward the back of the house. As she passed the kitchen, her face took on a greenish hue. "What's that smell?" she asked.

Her mother answered, "We're having Chinese tonight. It's egg foo yung. That's okay for you, isn't it Mamoru?"

"Sure, anything is fine. I'm starved," he replied.

At that moment, Usagi groaned and sprinted for the downstairs bath. Mamoru followed. The sound of her being violently ill was audible through the door. "Are you okay in there?" he asked concernedly. A pale and shaky Usagi emerged.

"All of a sudden I just felt really sick," she said. He put an arm around her waist and helped her into the front living room to the couch so she could lie down.

Shingo, ready as always to have an opportunity to pick on his sister, skipped down the last few stairs and came into the living room. "What's a matter – you getting tired of him? You getting sick as soon as you see him?" Shingo taunted. Usagi groaned and attempted to sit up but fell back weakly.

Mamoru turned toward Shingo with an angry expression. "Leave your sister alone; she doesn't feel well."

Shingo grinned and said, "Well then I'll just have to stay here and "help". You gonna play doctor?"

Exasperated, Mamoru growled, "Out! Now!" and advanced toward the annoying brother.

Shingo ran down the hall yelling, "Mom, Dad, Usagi's boyfriend is picking on me!"

From the kitchen, Ikuko yelled, "Shingo leave your sister alone. She's sick. Go in the den and watch TV."

Kenji looked up from his paper, "Boyfriend?"

Ikuko looked at him with annoyance, "The same one who has been coming around here for the last two years, Chiba Mamoru. You know, the medical student."

"Oh, that one," he said as he went back to reading.

Dinner passed uneventfully. All the food was eaten, except for the bowl of plain steamed rice in front of Usagi, at which she picked fitfully. Mamoru put his napkin on the table and said, "Thanks for inviting me for dinner, Mrs. Tsukino. It was great. I hate to quote 'eat and run' but I still have to go to lecture tonight from 7:00 till 10:30."

Kenji looked up and asked, "What do you study?"

Mamoru answered, "Tonight it's a lecture on gastrointestinal diagnostic procedures."

Shingo laughed and said, "Good, you can practice on Usagi and see why you make her sick."

"Shingo go to your room," yelled the other Tsukino's in unison.

"I'll see you off," Usagi told Mamoru as she walked with him out the door onto the porch. Mamoru pulled her close and kissed her. Usagi rested her head on his shirt.

"I'm sorry you feel bad," he said. "I wish I could stay longer. I've really missed not seeing you after school these last few days."

Usagi looked up at him, "I've missed you too. I didn't realize just a few days would seem so long without you. I love you so much." She put her arms around his neck and pulled him down so she could kiss him back.

The forms of the two people embracing were visible against the twilight of the setting sun. Ikuko looked down from the upstairs window. Kenji was across the room putting something in the closet. "He's the one for her you know", she said to Kenji.

"The one for what?" he answered curiously.

"The one she loves and who loves her. Your future son-in-law if I am guessing right." She laughed at his appalled expression.

"She's only a little girl," he protested.

"Not that little anymore," she countered, smiling.

~* ~* ~*

Everyone was outside for lunch break at school. Usagi walked out toward the group sprawled under the trees. "Hey Usagi, we haven't seen you hanging out much the last few days. Where've you been?" asked Naru.

"Yeah, no video games or scarfing down food at Crown Parlor," chimed in Umino.

Makoto added, "You weren't at Ami's for study group Monday or at Rei's yesterday."

Looking at Ami for confirmation, Minako said, "Come to think of it, your keeper hasn't been around either. You two up to something?"

"Sheesh, don't you guys have anybody better than me to gossip about? I've been at school every day, why gang up on me today?" Answered Usagi. "I've just gone home early mostly – to sleep! I've been really tired lately and haven't felt very good either, some kind of bug I guess. And if you think my "keeper" is Mamoru, look for him at the medical school or hospital. I haven't seen him either. He's been working 10's or 12's every day plus 3 or 4 hours of class every night," she complained.

"Oh, that's so boringly normal. Is that the best story you can think of?" asked Makoto.

Turning the tables, Usagi started in, "Hey Ami, where are you and Uwara going for Valentine’s Day tomorrow? Or, Naru, what are you getting Umino?"

"Ooh, look at Umino! He's red as a tomato!" Chortled Usagi.

"I gotta go", muttered Umino as he ran off.

"Usagi, you idiot! Why did you have to say that – now I'll have to ask him to go out with me," wailed Naru.

"Well you all started in on me. I guess you just can't take what you dish out! I'm still hungry. I want some ice cream." Usagi laughed and walked back toward the cafeteria.

~* ~* ~*

There was a loud knock at the Tsukino door, followed a few seconds later by the bell ringing. "All right, just wait a minute, I'm coming," grumbled Shingo as he left his TV show to go answer the front door. He opened the door and peered out. An unconscious Usagi was cradled in Mamoru's arms. Shingo started laughing hysterically. "She got drunk and passed out! This is so great, wait till I tell Dad and Mom when they get back Sunday."

"Will you get out of the way so I can bring her in the house," growled Mamoru. "She's not drunk. She just fell asleep on the way home."

"That's just as funny. So now you don't just make her sick when she sees you, you're so boring you make her fall asleep. I love it." Razzed Usagi's little brother.

"Well then you can carry her upstairs to her room, if you think it's so funny." Retorted a thoroughly pissed Mamoru.

"No way! She's way heavier than she looks. Just dump her on the couch in the living room and let her sleep it off. I bet she'll be really hung over tomorrow. She's not my problem; you're the one who took her out drinking. I want to see the rest of my show." Shingo finished as he walked toward the den.

Mamoru yelled after him, "She's not drunk!"

Talking to himself, "Well maybe a little. She didn't have that much to drink. I think a carafe for both of us. Maybe she had, oh, two glasses. Oh who cares," as he trudged up the stairs with Usagi.

Entering Usagi room, Mamoru placed her down on her bed. Should I undress her, he wondered. Oh, why not? Nobody's around to complain. Her brother would just laugh at her. She'll be more comfortable; he rationalized. Mamoru took off her shoes and jacket and dropped them on the floor. He tugged at her skirt. She always wears these tight things. Oh yeah, it has a zipper. Duh. Skirt on the chair. Now what do I do with these stupid panty hose? He pulled and pulled on the toes and they stretched longer and longer. Oh well, they don't cost too much (I hope). He tossed the tattered hose on the floor. Hmm, nah better leave those on, she might get embarrassed. He fished for her bra straps. Why on earth does she wear this thing with all that metal and wire? He wondered. That can't be comfortable. She looks better with it off anyway, heh, heh. She looks so cute asleep.

Mamoru picked up Usagi's clothes and folded them neatly on the chair. He looked around the room. Her notebook and markers were on the table by the bed. Wonder what she's been drawing? He leafed through her notebook. There were so many bunnies, unicorns and fairies. I wonder, he thought, could I draw that? Giggling, Mamoru picked up Usagi's marker and started to draw. He sat back. That's not too bad. Just fill in some color now. He admired the rabbit he had drawn on her stomach with her belly button for its tail. It looks just like a tattoo, he thought. Maybe I'll do another one. Yeah, there. He rolled her over. Let's hide part of this one. He pulled her panty down on the left for more room to draw. Let's see; tomorrow's Valentine's Day. A big red heart with a mask and rose together and a bunny on the other side. I wonder if she'll like it.

Mamoru covered Usagi with her blanket, kissed her, and went downstairs. He stopped in the den. "She's all tucked in and still asleep. Thanks for all your help," he sarcastically told Shingo as he left.

The next morning a loud shriek shattered the quiet. "Shingo, did you draw this on me? You little creep. I'm gonna pound you!" yelled Usagi at her brother's door.

"I didn't do it. Mamoru said you got really wasted down at that fish place at the docks. You wanted to get a tattoo. He said you promised to pay him back for it." Shingo lied quickly.

"Nooo way!" screamed Usagi. "Oh, my head hurts! I'm gonna be sick!" And headed for the bathroom. Now awake and ready to play this for all it was worth, Shingo followed her down the hall.

Watching Usagi hugging the commode, he commented, "You got another one on your butt! I told Mamoru you were gonna be hung over! You were passed out. It was so funny. Wait till I tell Dad and Mom how you got so wasted you got two tattoos." He had an even funnier thought. "Unless it's something else. You've been sick a LOT lately. You're pregnant! Oh boy, is this going to be fun!" Shingo ran down the stairs as Usagi threw everything in reach at him.

Returning to her room, she turned around and peered at her rear in the mirror. There was a big "tattoo" on her left cheek as well as the bunny on her stomach. "Crap" she muttered to herself, as she dialed Mamoru's phone number. "Hi, this may sound strange, but what happened last night? Did I really get a couple of tattoos?" she asked.

Silence answered her. "What?" he asked.

"Did I really get a tattoo last night?" she repeated.

Laughter followed. "Who told you that?" asked Mamoru.

"Shingo" she replied.

"And you BELIEVED him?" Mamoru smirked.

"Oh, you are so aggravating! Just tell me!" She yelled into the phone.

"Sorry. It's just marker. I thought it would be cute." Mamoru admitted.

"You what? You drew all over me with marker while I was asleep? It's permanent marker too. Why did you do something so dumb! I get to thinking you must have been born about 30 years old cause you're so stuffy and then you go do something as dumb as my little brother! Oh you are so deadmeat!" She screeched.

"Hey, it's not that bad. It comes right off if you wipe it with alcohol. We use it to mark surgery patients all the time at the hospital." Mamoru answered.

"It better come off!"

"I thought it was cute and you would like it," he whined.

"Oh, I guess it's kinda cute," said Usagi as she peered at her backside in the mirror. "Oh, it's a heart and stuff. That's sweet."

"Are you still coming over here for breakfast? Or are you too mad at me?" asked Mamoru.

"I'll be there. You better have a really nice present for me though. It's going to take a pretty big bribe to get out of this one," Usagi said with a smile.

"Oh, I think you'll like what I got," he replied, reminding himself to conjure lots of flowers and go buy some candy as well.

~* ~* ~*

Usagi shut her door and flopped down on her bed. That thing that Shingo had said; she couldn't forget it. No way! That couldn't be it. Let's see; she counted on her fingers. Uh-oh. The days were right. But I don't have any kids until I'm 22, none until Chibi-Usa. This can't be right!

Usagi dressed and headed for the closest pharmacy. I'll buy one of those test things. She looked at the shelves. All those contraceptives next to the tests, I never even thought about any of that. I've been to the future. Nothing like this ever happened. She bought three different kinds of tests and flew back home.

It was blue. The other one changed color too. Usagi was in total shock, for once unable to cry. This can't be happening to me!

It was almost time to leave. What will I say? What will he do? I can't see him. But I have too. Oh, God, help me.

Usagi walked slowly, for once, toward Mamoru's apartment. Once there, she nervously rang the bell. She fidgeted with her bag, which contained a Valentine's Day gift and the third home pregnancy test.

Mamoru opened the door; his eyes alight, happy to see Usagi. "Hi, beautiful, come on in," he said as he hugged her close.

Usagi gulped nervously, "What's that cooking?" She was queasy and that smell was only making it worse.

"I'm fixing an omelet," answered Mamoru. Usagi ran for the bathroom and threw up on the floor.

"Usagi, you're sick again. What's wrong?" Mamoru asked with a  
worried tone of voice.

"It's eggs. Every time I smell them, I get sick. I get sick other times too. But eggs are the worst." She gasped and lay down on the floor. "If you'll get me the paper towels and spray, I'll clean up this mess in a few minutes."

"I don't care about a mess on the floor. Let me help you go lie down. I'm sorry I fixed something that bothers you." He said while hovering anxiously.

Usagi dragged herself off the floor, washed up, and stubbornly insisted on cleaning up after herself. After Mamoru had disposed of the offending omelet, Usagi went into the living room and collapsed on the couch. "How long have you been getting sick, having these problems?" asked Mamoru.

Usagi answered, "About a week, maybe two. I'm tired all the time too." She looked up at him, tears running down her face. "I'm not sick, at least not like with the flu or something. I guess this is normal. I'm so sorry."

"What do you mean? I don't know what you are trying to say," asked a confused Mamoru.

"The stick was blue. It was positive," she sobbed.

"What was? I don't get it?" he responded.

"I'm pregnant. It's a baby, not a disease. That's why I'm getting sick."

Mamoru was stunned to silence for a moment. "But we haven't done anything!" he protested. A glint of anger appeared in his eyes, "At least I haven't." He moved toward her, "Who was it then?" he asked in a low voice.

Usagi backed away fearfully, her hands raised in protest. "It was you!"

"No way!" he countered.

She laughed bitterly. "You remember a couple of weeks ago, you told me you dreamed about making love. Well you may have been dreaming. You may have been asleep. The result is the same. I woke up and couldn't help it, didn't want to stop you. But you started it!" she accused.

He sat down, deflated. Usagi lashed out, "I thought it would be different, better." Pausing a moment she added, "And you better not ever tease me again about kissing you in my sleep. You slept through a lot more than that. Look what you've done to me!" She collapsed to the floor, curled into a weeping ball.

Mamoru looked crushed, his eyes bright with unshed tears. He could not even name the feeling. He moved over and knelt next to the weeping Usagi, picked her up and held her as she cried.

~* ~* ~*


	2. Chapter 2

Mamoru began stroking Usagi's hair. He was thinking, planning, weighing alternatives, deciding. "My life is over. It will never be the same," wailed Usagi.

"No it won't be the same. But you're not alone. I'm still here. And I always want to take care of you and protect you," soothed Mamoru.

The sniffling stopped and she looked at him, "Do you still love me?"

He answered, "Of course I do. And I'm sorry… no I'm not… well about the timing I guess. I want to have children with you, a whole house full." He helped her over to sit on the couch. "Stay here a minute, I want to get something I have for you," he told her as he went into the other room.

Light and the soft notes of a familiar melody spilled over from the bedroom. Mamoru emerged dressed as Tuxedo Mask sans the mask, hat, and cape, carrying an armload of roses and a small box. He spilled the roses on her lap, handed her the box, and swept into a courtly bow.

"Princess, marry me, if you're still willing, if you still want me?" he asked.

Usagi intent on opening the box barely heard his question. She let out a shrill squeal at the three-caret diamond mounted on a gold band filigreed with roses. "It's beautiful. Thank you!" Looking up she realized he was still waiting for an answer from her. "Yes, of course I will, of course I do!" She threw her arms around his neck to pull him to her. Off balance, they tumbled to the floor among the roses, lost in a passionate embrace.

A while later, Usagi asked curiously, "That's not really what you intended to give me today was it?"

Mamoru answered, "Well with the surprise you had for me, it seemed like the right gift. I'd planned on asking you later, maybe your senior year." Her next question, "Just how long have you had that ring anyway?"

"Oh, ever since the Negaverse took over Naru's mom's jewelry store. I got it for my princess if I ever found her," he said smiling.

"But that's over two years ago! Wait a minute, everything was 90% off full price. You bought my ring on sale!"

"Of course, thriftiness is one of my many virtues, " he smirked, "I couldn't have gotten a nice one any other way. I'm not that rich yet you know."

She laughed, "Oh, you're impossible!"

A little later, Mamoru told Usagi, "Come with me to Rei's temple, there's something I need to ask her grandfather." They drove to Cherry Hill Temple, parked outside the gates, and entered together.

Rei walked up to meet them as they came up the path toward the temple entrance. She looked closely at them, and took one each of Usagi's and Mamoru's hands in hers. "I told you so," she said looking at Usagi.

Addressing Mamoru, "My grandfather does know the ritual you have in mind." Gazing off in the distance for a moment she added, "It is well that you do this, you will need the ties in the battles in Crystal Tokyo in the years ahead. Does Usagi know what you plan?" At his negative nod, she said, "Well, this should be interesting. I'll go and get the things we will need."

"What was that all about?" Usagi asked Mamoru after Rei left.

"You'll see in a few minutes. What did she mean when she said 'I told you so' to you?"

Usagi reddened, "She knows about me, I think. She and Luna were warning me a few weeks ago about, uh, spending so much time alone with you."

He chuckled, "I wish I had heard that. They were right you know. You have no idea how many times, I was this close", holding his thumb and forefinger together in front of her face.

Grandfather Hino came out and looked over Usagi and Mamoru. "You'll do," he said of Mamoru, who was still dressed in a tuxedo. "Rei, bring those robes over here for Usagi."

Rei dressed Usagi in a long red robe with gold and silver sashes. "Red is for the fire of life, gold is for the light of the sun and prosperity, and silver is for the moon and wisdom," she told Usagi.

Grandfather Hino addressed them "Rei tells me you seek the ritual of eternal binding and protection." Mamoru nodded. Usagi looked confused. He continued, "This is an ancient ritual, most solemn. It has roots in oaths of fealty, vows of marriage, and bushido, code of the warrior. You need to understand that these oaths will bind you together in this life, the past, the future, and for all eternity."

Usagi asked, "We were together in the past and came to this time to be together and know that we are together in the future. So what is different about this?"

Grandfather Hino continued, "These ties will be stronger. You will have an awareness of the other's condition and location at all times. It will help you to protect each other. It is beyond the conscious mind and does not depend on memory. Love will grow as well. But it cannot be easily broken, and not without great cost, greater than you would be willing to pay. So think carefully before you do this."

Mamoru immediately said, "I am willing." Usagi looked at him trustingly, "If this is what he wants us to do, I will agree also."

"Listen now carefully to what you promise each other. You vow to love, honor, and serve one another throughout all your lives, in the times of trouble and joy. Honor, loyalty, and respect you shall have for each other. You give your oath to guard, care for, and protect one another and your children in battle and times of danger. By this ritual you are bound past, present, and future for eternity. You are joined three-fold, in body, mind, and soul. You vow these things in the presence of us here, the ancestors, friends in the spirit world, and before the Kami. Do you now avow to do all these things?" asked Grandfather Hino.

Usagi answered quietly, "I will."

Mamoru responded, "I give oath to do so."

"Then so be it. It is witnessed. It is done." Finished the old priest.

Yuuichirou held up a camera and said, "Smile!" and took photos of them all.

Grandfather Hino brought over a piece of parchment and placed it on the low wall next to them. "Here is a paper for you to sign for official record of this ritual." After Grandfather, Rei, and Mamoru had signed the document, Yuuichirou and Aunt Riko, the woman who helped keep the shrine, also signed as witnesses.

Usagi signed her name and noticed that Mamoru had written, "deceased" in the space for his parents' names. "But my parents aren't here," she said.

Rei's Grandfather said, "This will not be a legal document until one of your parents signs it, and it is recorded by the city legal records official. For now it is a religious record of a ceremony."

Usagi looked carefully at what she had just signed. "Wait a minute! This is a marriage certificate! Did I just marry him?" she shouted.

Rei answered grinning, "You made a lovely bride, Usagi."

"But I wanted a big, fancy wedding with a white dress, lots of flowers, a beautiful cake, bridesmaids, all my friends, and a big reception!" she wailed.

As everyone covered their ears, Rei told Usagi "You can still have a public ceremony later if you want. All the scouts would love to help. This was a private ritual not meant for a public ceremony." Usagi stopped the high pitched noise and looked thoughtful. "That's what I'll do then."

Giving Mamoru a dirty look, she said, "You're not getting out of it. I still want a big wedding like I always dreamed about when I was a little girl. And a nice honeymoon trip too."

Rei's grandfather watched this interchange with interest and a merry face. He told the couple, "The ritual is not quite over. Your spirits have been together since the long ago time of the Silver Millennium. The oaths you spoke today will bind your minds over time. Before the day is over you need to complete the three-fold ritual of soul, mind, and body with a physical union. That will be the fun part," he grinned. Both Mamoru and Usagi looked embarrassed when they realized what he was telling them to do. Their expressions caused a round of laughter from Rei, Yuuichirou and Aunt Riko as well.

Back at the car, the couple looked at each other. "What other sneaky tricks have you got planned?" Usagi asked Mamoru suspiciously.

"Nothing. Let's go home." Remembering their previous plans for that evening, he asked, "Do you really still want to go to that Valentine's Day dance at the school tonight?"

"No way! The ‘friend.net’ has probably spread today's events all over the whole school, no the whole town, by now. I don't want to spend tonight explaining whether I did or didn't get married or whatever, or if I'm having a baby or not," Usagi answered. "I still don't believe all this really happened; it's like a weird nightmare or something."

With a hurt look, Mamoru asked Usagi, "The idea of marrying me is a nightmare? You're still mad at me, aren't you?"

Contrite, Usagi said, "That's not what I meant. But you did pull a sneaky trick on me. You could have told me what you planned to do."

"I thought you might say no. I can't really explain why, but I thought it was something I had to do. You know, kind of like when I know you're in trouble and Tuxedo Mask needs to show up," he tried to explain.

"Oh, I guess I know how that feels. But, I meant it when I said I still want the big fancy wedding with all the trimmings. I'm not backing down on that," she responded.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me. I want you to be happy. How about during the Spring Cherry Blossom Festival?" he asked.

"But that's only a few weeks away. There's no way I could pull everything together by then! Besides we have to convince my parents to agree to sign the papers, and hopefully pay for it too," Usagi protested.

"I think you could do it. I mean how hard can it be; it's like a big party. Find a place, buy the food and decorations, and invite a few people. I bet between Rei, who likes to boss people around, Makoto for food and decorating, and your mom, you won't have to do anything," postulated a hopelessly naive Mamoru.

"Oh, you're so funny. And you're even serious." Usagi said unbelievingly. "So what do you want to do today anyway?"

"You mean besides Grandfather Hino's orders," he smirked. "I've got an idea. Let's go out of town and avoid all our gossipy friends for a while at least. Motoki and Minako would flay us alive."

"I like that idea. How about going to a hot springs resort?" she answered.

"I was thinking skiing," he countered.

"Mountain Spring Ski Resort" they both said together.

Mamoru passed Usagi his phone. "Why don't you call and see if they have anything. A cancellation or something since it's so late."

Usagi made the phone call. "We're in luck. They have a condo in the corporate section right at the slopes. It's one of six around a common bathhouse. They'll let us have one for one night. The business party that booked the section won't be able to get there until Sunday night. We'll have the whole place to ourselves if nobody else thinks to ask about it."

"I'll drop you off to pack what you'll need while I go by my place and get my stuff," said Mamoru as he pulled up in front of the Tsukino house. Usagi started to get out of the car.

"Hey, I just remembered something. What about the part about 'You may now kiss the bride'. They forgot that." Quipped Mamoru, looking at Usagi expectantly.

She laughed and kissed him briefly. "That's a down payment. You owe me the rest later." Usagi went in the house and ran up the stairs to her room. She grabbed a couple of suitcases out of her closet and started throwing in her winter clothes.

Her brother came out of his room and parked himself in her doorway. "Where are you going?" he asked. "I thought you were coming to the Valentine's dance tonight."

"Skiing with Mamoru, we changed our minds," she answered.

"Rolling down the mountain or sliding on your rear, you mean." Scoffed Shingo.

"I can too ski, just not as good as Mamoru. If you and Mika want to come too, we should be able to get more rooms." Usagi offered.

"No, she really wants to go to that dance." He said.

"How come 'you' can go. It was supposed to be just for high school," inquired Usagi.

"Mika is a freshman this year, remember. She took all those extra courses and skipped a year. Sometimes it's useful to have a smart girlfriend," Shingo bragged.

"Yeah, especially for someone as intellectually challenged as you," Usagi added as she moved down the stairs with her bags. "Have you heard from Dad or Mom? Are they still coming home tomorrow night? We need to talk to them about something important."

"What about?" He asked.

"You'll hear about it soon enough. There's the car now. Don't trash the house or have a wild party tonight. Dad knows how much sake there is too, so stay out of his liquor cabinet. Bye." Nagged Usagi as she sped out the door.

As they were leaving the outskirts of Tokyo, Usagi's eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep. The setting sun painted the snow-covered mountains in gold, rose, and purples as the car approached the turnoff to the Mountain Springs resort. Mamoru stopped at the office to check in and order dinner, leaving the sleeping Usagi in the car. He unloaded the luggage and carried the bags up to the condo. The only thing left in the car was Usagi. Mamoru picked up Usagi and trudged wearily up the stairs one last time.

Pausing in the entryway, he noticed a pair of bright blue eyes looking up at him. "Where are we?" asked Usagi.

"Sleeping Beauty awakes. We're at the ski lodge," answered Mamoru.

"I can walk. You can put me down," she said.

"You're forgetting tradition," he said.

"What tradition?" she questioned.

"You know for good luck, the husband carries the wife over the threshold."

"Well carry on, Prince Charming. We can use all the good luck we can get," responded Usagi.

Usagi looked around the condo. On the left was the bedroom and bath. The living area straight ahead had a pair of couches bracketing the corner fireplace with a fire blazing. On the right was a small kitchen with a dining table behind it. The table was set for two, with food in covered serving dishes, a floral centerpiece, and a pair of lighted  
candles. The curtains across the sliding glass door were open to show the balcony beyond. The lights of the ski village were visible below shining against the snow. The stars shone in the clearing sky between the receding clouds. "Its really pretty, romantic. And dinner's here," she exclaimed.

Usagi drifted out onto the balcony and gazed about at the view. "It's a little chilly out here."

On cue Mamoru trailed out behind her and hugged her close. "You want to claim your 'layaway'?"

"Huh?" she turned and looked up at him questioningly. In silent answer he kissed Usagi with all the love and pent up longing within him. She responded likewise, shaking with love and desire. Usagi grabbed his hand, "Let's go in."

Usagi led the way across the condo and entered the bedroom. Mamoru broke into a huge smile with eyes alight. His expression changed to one of confusion when Usagi began piling blankets, quilts, and pillows into his arms. She pulled him along back into the living room and spread out everything on the floor in front of the fireplace. Commenting, "It's too hot," she tossed her jacket and sweater on the couch. She draped herself in what was intended to be a seductive pose on the floor, the image broken by her giggling and the drawing of a rabbit head looking up out above the waist of her jeans. Mamoru snickered at his drawing still on Usagi. She looked at his expression and protested, "I did too take a bath, I am not grubby."

He startled briefly, "When did you turn into Rei?"

She answered, "But that's just what you said."

He replied, "Not out loud."

His next intention was telegraphed just as loudly. "Don't you dare tickle me!" she shrieked as she was being attacked. Laughter and giggles quieted as the wrestling couple moved into passionate embraces. By the flickering firelight, they made love as moonlight and stars shown through the windows.

Later, Usagi left Mamoru curled up peacefully asleep on the floor by the fire and moved over to the beckoning servers on the table. There were platters of sashimi and sushi hors d'oeuvres, nabe stew, and yakitori dishes. Ravenous, she foraged among the dishes and filed a plate high with food. Draped in one of the fluffy white bathrobes from the pile in the closet, she took her plate over by the glass door. She devoured her selections while watching the scene in the village below. The skating area had been lighted and music was playing waltzes and other dance music for the skaters.

After about half an hour, Mamoru awoke conscious of missing Usagi's warmth. She was silhouetted against the sliding glass door, the moonlight highlighting her unbound golden hair trailing down her back to near the ground. Pulling on the robe she left beside him, he moved over to join her. "Dined without waiting for me I see." He teased.

"Well I am eating for two now," she replied.

He laughed, "You have never needed an excuse for eating, Meatball Head".

"Well I love you too," she pouted, moving through their well-worn routine in their game of trading loving insults.

"You have no idea," he replied as he gathered her close and rested his chin on her hair. Perceiving something unusual about her, he stilled as if listening. He moved his hands down to her waist and spread his fingers across the skin on her stomach. In an odd voice he commented, "You're not eating for two."

Curious she asked, "Why not?"

The reply came back, "For three."

She squeaked, "What!"

Mamoru answered, "You're carrying twins, two boys."

"You don't do anything by halves, do you?" she commented.

"Me?" he questioned. Smiling, he retorted, "You're the one named Usagi not me. And I don't know if you noticed or not but one of the traditional blessings they wish at weddings is for fertility or many children. Rei's Grandfather skipped that part!"

Taken aback, Usagi paused for a moment. Then she continued brightly, "Well whatever, since I'm eating for 'three', let me fix you a plate of food and I'll join you for dinner." Usagi piled two more plates with food, handed one to Mamoru with the instruction, "Eat," and kept the other for herself. "I want to go skating after we finish eating," she told him.

"Sounds good to me, Princess," he replied between stuffing his mouth with bites of food. "You can burn off some of those calories you just ate!"

They changed into warm clothes and made their way down the hill to the skating rink. Skating round in time to music, Usagi observed, "I guess we sort of made it to a Valentine's Dance after all. Look at all the people out here, and most of them can't skate." Several people had collided into a heap that they swept out and around to avoid joining.

"Are you warmed up yet?" asked Mamoru, "You want to show off?" They launched into a pairs' routine, matching spins and jumps. Mamoru started to raise Usagi overhead into a spinning lift when her skate caught in a long scarf blowing across the ice. The length of material whipped and twisted around both their legs. The crash to the ice seemed to take forever, happening in slow motion.

Tumbled together in a heap, neither was injured except for their pride. "Are you okay," Mamoru asked Usagi. At her affirmative nod, he added sheepishly, "I guess that will teach me to be a showoff." With a sidewise glance and smirk he added, "I keep forgetting about your klutz attacks." After Usagi had tired of pounding Mamoru, they resumed skating at a more sedate pace, ice dancing with the music, skipping any more gymnastics.

"Race you to the condo," yelled Usagi as she sprinted up the hill. Mamoru pursued and gained on her lead, his longer legs giving him the advantage. They both reached the stairway at about the same time and collapsed on the bottom step out of breath.

"How come you're full of energy all of a sudden?" he asked.

"How come you're not? Guess you're getting to be an old man," she taunted.

"Well let's see, I was the one who drove up here while you slept for hours. Unloaded the car, unloaded you, made love to you. I only got a half hour nap and one dish of food to your two," he listed.

"Whoa, I'll concede the sleep and the extra food, but I seem to remember being involved in that other activity, mister," she countered leaning her face close in toward him. "Phew, a stinky old man too!"

Mamoru scooped up a squealing Usagi as he stood. "You're no rose yourself, love. Nothing that a good bath won't cure though," he added as he carried her toward the bathhouse.

Entering the bathhouse, Mamoru paused and looked around. No one else was there, as all the condos adjoining their own were empty. Signs told bathers to wash off before entering the hot spring fed pool. Sure she was about to be tossed in the pool, Usagi began to kick and flail about again.

Mamoru set her down on her feet and keeping one arm around her towed her over to a bathing area. Usagi looked up at him and saw that his eyes had changed to the dark and smoky look that sent a thrill through her. "Bath time," he commented and began to undress her like a doll.

Entering into the spirit of the game, Usagi did the same to Mamoru. They sluiced and splashed each other with soapy towels and buckets of water. Half water fight and half erotic game, they continued to splash and chase each other around the pool.

As Usagi was swimming by, Mamoru caught her round her waist and dragged her close. One game ended as another began, twin fires feeding each other in the midst of the waters. Thoroughly warmed, they ran quickly back to their room, in the thin yukata robes not made for winter outdoor wear, to finish what they had started.

"Wake up sleepyhead, it's almost ten, the brunch buffet will be closing soon." Mamoru announced from where he sat on the end of the bed, already dressed in black ski clothes, ready to hit the slopes.

Usagi's eyes popped open. Food? She dragged herself out of bed, tangled hair flying everywhere. "Ugh, how can you be so cheerful this 'early' in the morning," she groaned. She trudged into the bathroom and cleaned up. She tied her hair back in a single French braid, departing from her usual hairstyle. Digging through her bags, she finally found all of her hot pink ski outfit.

"Hey you look cute like that," remarked Mamoru as she came out of the bathroom. He continued, "Have I told you how much I love you yet today?" as he came over and hugged her.

Cajoled out of her grumpy mood she smiled back and answered, "As much as I love you I hope."

After they had attacked the 'all you can eat' brunch buffet at the ski lodge, Usagi asked Mamoru about his plans for the day. "I'm going to ski the two black diamond runs that I've been dying to try ever since I saw the map. That should take a couple of hours, so I booked you a private lesson while I'm gone. When I get back, we can try one of the green runs or easier blue runs together."

"Blue?" gulped Usagi. "I think I'd rather stay on the bunny slope."

They collected their ski equipment. Mamoru headed toward the lifts to the upper slopes and Usagi waited at the ski school. Usagi indulged in a bit of guy watching as she waited for 'Marina' who was supposed to be her instructor. A tall, broad shouldered man with blond hair and green eyes approached. He looks a lot like Motoki she thought, but even better. "Hi, I'm Pierre your instructor. Marina couldn't make it today." He introduced himself to Usagi. Wow, she thought. This should be fun.

Pierre put Usagi through a review of the basics of stopping and turning and had her ski the bunny slope a couple of times. "You're doing fine, he told her. Let's go up to the next level so you can try the first green slope. We should have time to do a couple of these intermediate runs." Usagi was pleased with herself; she had only fallen three times all day, probably because she was trying to look good in front of the cute instructor.

Mamoru was lounging outside the ski school as he watched for Usagi to get back from her lesson. The runs had been every bit as challenging and fun as he had hoped. As Usagi and Pierre made the turn from where the green runs fed into the bunny slope, she fell one more time. Pierre helped Usagi to her feet, but she lost her balance and fell against him. He grabbed her around the waist to steady her and keep her from knocking them both over. They continued on down to the bottom of the slope. "Thanks, Pierre, you really helped me a lot today," she told her instructor.

As she turned she saw Mamoru approaching them with an angry expression. Uh-oh, what is he mad about now? she wondered. "I thought you had a girl instructor," he snapped at Usagi. "And why were YOU hugging my wife up there on the slope," he growled at Pierre.

"No man, you've got that all wrong. She fell and I was just helping her up. We don't get paid to make clients mad you know." He answered Mamoru.

Usagi rounded on Mamoru, "He didn't do anything. You're jealous over nothing. You can just stop it right now." The sight of the tiny blond stomping up, wagging her finger in Mamoru's face and scolding him was too amusing. Pierre and the people around them who had witnessed the scene began to laugh. Mamoru's expression became sheepish as he calmed down and realized Usagi had rightly called him on his behavior.

"Uh, sorry," he muttered.

Usagi reached up and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I love you, not some stranger, silly." She chided him.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as Usagi and Mamoru tried all three of the green runs. He convinced her to try the 'easiest' blue run at the end of the afternoon. As they walked out of the ski rental shop after returning their equipment, Usagi turned to Mamoru and said, "That's the last time I'll believe you when you tell me something is 'easy'. My butt is probably be going to be sore for a week for all the times I fell down on that blue run!"

"Yeah, but you had fun didn't you?" Mamoru replied. Usagi stopped and looked up at him. "And is that what the rest of my life with you will be like?"

He pushed his hair back out of his eyes and looked down at her, "Probably. It won't always be easy, we'll fall down a lot, but you'll have fun."

~*~*~*

The drive back to Tokyo went quickly. As they drew closer to the city, Usagi became more nervous, fidgeting visibly. "You're scared, aren't you?" he asked.

"I'm worried about what my parents might do," she admitted.

"Then before we go home, we had better go by your house first and get it over with," he said. "Remember you're not alone. I'll be there with you; I won't leave you to face the 'lions' without me."

Usagi and Mamoru arrived at the Tsukino house and went inside. They found her mother and brother in the kitchen fixing dinner. "Just where have you been?" questioned her mother.

"We went skiing up at Mountain Springs Ski Resort," answered Usagi.

"You were supposed to be here to watch your brother, not running all over the country." Lectured Ikuko.

"Don't forget to tell Mom what a bad example you set for me," smirked Shingo, "Like coming home passed out drunk with two tattoos Friday night. Or hung over and throwing up Saturday morning." He slyly continued, "Or tossing your cookies every morning cause you're pregnant!"

"Shingo!" screamed Usagi. "Mom don't believe him. I don't have any tattoos. I wasn't drunk. I don't throw up every morning," She continued while hoping her mother wouldn't catch her evasion of his last comment.

Mamoru added, "She fell asleep on the way home Friday night, she wasn't passed out drunk!"

Of course her mother did focus in on the worst thing she heard. She considered the question. "You have been sick a lot lately Usagi. Is there any reason to believe what Shingo says might be true?"

Usagi remained silent, as her face reddened and she stared at the floor. Seeing her distress, Mamoru moved over beside her and put an arm around her shoulder. He looked at Ikuko and said, "Before Usagi says anything more, you should know this weekend wasn't just a ski trip. On Saturday we were married at Cherry Hill Temple here in Tokyo. I have the document we need to file with the city to receive legal approval. It needs the signature of at least one of her parents since she is under age. If you or her father could go downtown with us it could be approved. I thought it was the best thing for us to do under the circumstances."

Usagi's mother blanched, "So it's true."

"I'm afraid so," Mamoru answered for the embarrassed Usagi who was still staring at the floor and squirming.

None of the people in the kitchen had noticed Usagi's father listening in the hallway. His countenance was livid with rage, alternately pale and flushed. Kenji stormed into the kitchen. He yelled at Mamoru, "You have dishonored my household. You will leave and not return. You are not welcome here!"

Looking at Usagi, he raged, "You are a disgrace. Leave my sight while I consider your punishment and how to end this problem."

Usagi was horrified by what she thought her father was saying. "I will never agree to such a thing!"

Angry from his insulting dismissal, perceived threat to his 'property', and a residual guilty conscience, Mamoru joined the argument. "That's 'my' wife and children you are threatening. She's coming with me."

"As long as you are under my roof, you will obey me," Kenji ordered Usagi.

"Not in this!" Usagi flared.

"Then you are no daughter of mine. You will leave my house now!" he countered.

"Kenji! What are you doing!" cried Ikuko.

"I am going out now! These people will be gone when I return!" he yelled as he stomped toward the garage. The sound of the engine roared as he sped the car out of the driveway and drove off down the street.

The stunned group left in the kitchen just looked at each other for a few moments. Breaking the silence, "I think you had better do as he says. I've never seen him this angry." Said Ikuko. "Shingo go find all the luggage and empty boxes in the garage. Usagi, I'll help you pack if you want."

"No, Mom, that's okay. I'll get Mamoru to carry my stuff downstairs." Usagi managed to reply. She motioned to him to come with her, as she headed upstairs to her room.

Closing the door behind them, she sat on the edge of her bed, tears running down her face. Mamoru sat down next to her and held her as she cried into the front of his sweater. "It was awful," she sniffled.

Handing her some tissues, he replied "I thought it might be bad, but I didn't think it would get this ugly. You better pack whatever you think will fit in my car. We'll have to see about getting the rest of your stuff later."

Luna came out of her corner and hopped up on the bed beside Usagi. She said, "Oh, Usagi, I'm so sorry this happened."

Usagi looked at Luna, "What will we do with you?"

"I'll stay here for now, until things settle down more. I don't think your father will keep this attitude forever. I'll watch what happens for you," replied Luna.

"Thanks, I appreciate that. And maybe my stupid brother will regret opening his big mouth." Usagi added.

Mamoru broke in, "Your brother isn't exactly my favorite person right now and I know you're mad at him for the way everything got dragged out. We can't blame him for all this. We came over to bring it all up anyway. Your dad still might have gone ballistic."

Usagi kept Mamoru and Shingo busy carrying things downstairs. They had managed to find enough bags and boxes to hold her clothes, jewelry, makeup, and toiletries, as well as three of her favorite stuffed animals (rabbits of course). The room seemed empty as she looked around for anything else she might need right away.

The back seat of the little red car was stuffed to the ceiling and the ski rack on top of the car was piled high as well. As Usagi and Mamoru prepared to leave, her mother followed them outside. "I'm sorry things went the way that they did," she said. "I know this wasn't how you hoped to start out your lives together. I want you to know you have my blessing at least and I want you both to be happy. Tomorrow I can meet you at the city clerk's office to take care of the paperwork."

"Thanks Mom," said Usagi as she hugged her Mom goodbye.

Mamoru added, "Thanks Mrs. Tsukino, I promise I'll take good care of her."

Usagi's Mom leaned over and hugged Mamoru as well, "I know you will and you can call me Mom too, or Ikuko if you prefer."

 ~* ~* ~*


	3. Chapter 3

 

Pushing two carts chock full of ski gear and Usagi's bags and boxes, she and Mamoru entered the lobby of his apartment building from the parking garage. Mamoru stopped by the lobby desk. The clerk observing Usagi and the piles of luggage told him, "If you are planning on having a guest for an extended stay you need to register with security."

An irritated expression crossed Mamoru's face, "I need to get some extra sets of keys for my 'wife' to the apartment, laundry and garage. Do I need to register her as well?"

The clerk answered, "No of course not, immediate family members are covered by the regular agreement. And may I offer congratulations on behalf of the staff."

Back at Usagi's side, Mamoru grinned, "I guess that's the beginning of this week's gossip chain. Wonder how long before it's all over the building? Well maybe it will stop some of the guys from hitting on you. Nah, probably not, they'll try anyway."

Usagi walked around the familiar apartment, looked in the closet, and opened all the dresser drawers. "You need to build some more shelves in the closet, put up a couple more hanging rods, and get another dresser or mine from my parent's house. There won't be any room for your stuff by the time I put away all my clothes and things."

He looked at her and said, "Don't you have that backwards?"

She raised an eyebrow, "I don't think so. Remember 'what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine too.' It says so in the rule book."

Mamoru looked confused, "What on earth are you talking about?"

Usagi cracked a smile and started giggling. "I had you going there. You get the cutest expression when you're confused. But we really do need all that stuff. And think about all the baby stuff we'll need to put some place later."

Mamoru rolled his eyes, "I guess the honeymoon is over before it ever began. The 'honey-do's have already started. See if you can just shove over the stuff in the closet and hang up the things on hangers. The rest will have to stay in boxes until I can get something for it."

Leaving Usagi to her unpacking, Mamoru wandered into the kitchen and stopped to check his phone messages. Two from Motoki, "Hey pick up if you're there…Where you been all weekend?" Have I got a story to tell him for once! He thought. One from Ami, "Remind Usagi she has a French test on Monday. She was supposed to meet us at Makoto's this afternoon to study."

He looked in the refrigerator to see what was left, no fresh fish or vegetables. "Hey Usagi, what do you want to eat? There's only rice or soba noodles, unless you want breakfast for dinner. How about pancakes and bacon? Or do you want 'eggs'?"

She came over and leaned on the counter, "Depends on if you want to clean up the mess on your carpet afterwards."

He looked over at her amused expression, "Oh, about as much as you want to study. By the way, Ami left a message that you need to study for a French test tomorrow." He chuckled as a disgusted expression appeared on her face.

"Well I suppose Mr. Perfect got all his studying done Friday." She commented.

"No, I had more important things to do this weekend than study." He replied.

After dinner Usagi was washing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen while Mamoru looked through his school notes. "I need to go over to the medical school library for an hour or two to look up some stuff. It should be nice and quiet so you can study your French," he teased.

She came over and put her arms around him, hugging and kissing him. "Are you sure you want to go study?" she asked in a seductive tone of voice.

"I'm sure I don't want to go," he replied. "But I know that I need to do some work, and I know you're trying to distract me so you can get out of doing what you need to do. One more kiss goodbye and I'm out of here." About an hour later, he finally made it out the door.

Mamoru returned to a silent apartment. Either she's really concentrating, or she's … He moved through the living room into the bedroom. Of course, her book was upside down on the floor by the bed. Usagi was curled up on the bed holding her stuffed pink rabbit, wearing the pink bunny print pajamas and fuzzy pink slippers, fast asleep.

A horrible buzzing, clanging noise woke Usagi. Mamoru groaned and burrowed deeper under the pillows. She crawled over and turned off the alarm. "You have got to get a new alarm clock; I hate that thing!" she complained.

There was no response from the body under the blankets. Usagi dragged the pillows and blankets off him. Holding the pillow, she debated with herself. Whap! She started hitting Mamoru with the pillow. "Wake up! Your stupid clock woke me up, so you better get up now!"

He rolled over and groaned, "Why did you do that! I was asleep!" He grabbed Usagi and the pillow to stop the assault.

"You wouldn't wake up, she complained.

"I was up until 3AM studying," he answered.

"Well you shouldn't stay up that late studying if you have to get up in the morning," she retorted.

"Are you always this grumpy in the morning? You were so cute asleep last night. Why are we arguing anyway? This is silly." He mumbled.

Usagi considered, "I'll make some coffee. Go take a shower or something and wake up. You must have forgotten we're supposed to meet my Mom downtown at 8:00 this morning. This is weird, usually you're the one up early."

He let her go, "Well now you know the ugly truth. I'm not perfect all the time. I get tired sometimes. And you want to know something else, I hate that stupid alarm clock too!"

The appointment at the city clerk's office went as planned. As they all walked outside, Ikuko said, "Why don't we stop for some breakfast?"

Usagi agreed quickly, "Good idea, all we had time for this morning was some coffee. And I actually drank some."

Mamoru looked at her suspiciously, "Don't you have a test today?"

"That's not until this afternoon. There's nothing important this morning. Actually if I quit school I could concentrate on being a good wife and mother." Usagi floated an idea attractive to her.

A resounding "No!" came from both her mother and Mamoru. "I don't plan to be married to some ignorant high school dropout. In fact, my grant at the university would pay for up to a half time class load for you, if you could get into the U."

Her mother added, "By next school year your father should be out of his shogun mode and I could baby-sit for you while you are in class."

They arrived at a nearby restaurant and ordered breakfast. "How are you doing?" asked Ikuko.

"Mom, we're fine. It hasn't even been one day! Dad's the one with the problem. We haven't killed each other yet."

At this remark Mamoru started smirking, "Unless you count trying to beat me to death with a pillow this morning."

Usagi retorted, "Well if you had a decent alarm clock instead of that horrible thing and had gotten up to shut it off…"

Ikuko laughed at their bickering, "You two are married all right. You squabble like you've been together for years."

Usagi quipped, "Centuries. But I didn't get to have the big fancy wedding I've always wanted."

Mamoru gave an exasperated sigh, "I told you if you wanted to go to   all that trouble and expense, then just do it. I still think a nice time would be during the Cherry Blossom Festival."

Usagi remarked to her Mom, "Can you believe him, he actually thinks that it would be possible to do a wedding that soon."

Her mother thought a moment before she answered, "Well if you were flexible on arrangements and a dress. If expense didn't matter and you had a lot of help, you could do it. I'd be happy to help you organize it, if you really want to do this. And since you didn't have a 'church' wedding, it would make Father O'Brien happy."

Usagi joined in, "What about the Crossroads Chapel? Mamoru, do you remember when I wanted to enter their wedding dress contest and conned you into pretending to be my fiancé?"

At this remark her mother asked curiously, "When on earth was this?"

Usagi looked a little embarrassed, "Oh, about two years ago, I didn't even really know him then. He was just some guy that always liked to pick on me. We argued whenever we'd see each other."

Mamoru added, "And you liked to throw things at me and run into me."

Her mother remarked dryly, "I can see that a lot has changed since then. I need to run. I'll call you and we can start planning."

Mamoru stopped the car outside the high school to drop off Usagi. "I need a note for being tardy to school," she said, "Doesn't that seem absurd?"

Mamoru smiled and said, "Lets have some fun with this at least, lets see, I'll say, 'Please excuse Mrs. Chiba (AKA. Tsukino Usagi) for being late to class. She had business with the city legal office and was unavoidably detained. –Chiba Mamoru'. How does that sound?"

Usagi giggled, "I can't wait to see Ms. Haruna's face when she reads this. I wish I had a camera. You better give me a copy of that marriage certificate in case she doesn't believe me. It's really funny, she has been husband hunting for years and I'm going to show up in class with this."

"I need to get to class soon too. I'll meet you at Crown after school. We'll have to catch an early dinner. I've got to work from 5PM to 9PM tonight."

Usagi looked at him a little guiltily, "You work really hard. Sorry I started beating up on you so early this morning, I guess I'm a little grumpy in the morning. Luna would always have to duck or run when she woke me up early."

He grinned, "Oh you can make it up to me later. I'll think of a suitable punishment."

Usagi leaned over and kissed him, "Like this?" She hopped out of the car and called, "Bye, love ya!" as she ran up the walk to the school.

The halls were crowded as students were changing classes. Usagi spotted Naru in the hall and flagged her down. "Hi, Usagi. I didn't see you at the dance. Where were you all weekend?" she asked.

Usagi said, "You wouldn't believe. Walk to class with me and I'll fill you in." She held out the hand with her ring for Naru to see.

"Oh, no way! You didn't get engaged?" she asked.

Usagi answered, "That's not all." She told Naru all the things that had happened.

"You're the only one who could tell me a story like that and I'd half way believe you. Of course I'd love to be your maid of honor. I'll help with whatever I can to get everything ready. It will be so much fun. I can't wait to see Ms. Haruna's face either. You should invite her to the 'second' wedding. You get to have two weddings and she  
can't find a man for even one," said Naru.

Usagi added, "I need your help. Can we go to your Mom's jewelry store at lunch? I want to pick out a matching man's ring. It's time 'Mr. Most Eligible Bachelor on Campus' got 'branded' off limits. And it's kind of a joke, but I need to get an alarm clock too."

As everyone straggled back into the classroom for third period after their break, the teacher spotted Usagi trying to disappear into the back of the classroom. "Tsukino Usagi come up here to the front please. Just where do you have you been and why are you late? This is the fifth time in the last two weeks you've been late," said Ms. Haruna. Naru winked at Usagi. The class watched with interest. Usagi's tardiness had been legendary for years. This was her second go round with Ms. Haruna, as the former junior high teacher had transferred to the high school that fall.

Usagi played the scene with a straight face. "I had some legal business in the city this morning. Here's my written excuse," she said as she handed the note to the teacher.

As Ms. Haruna read the note, she became more and more flustered. "Of all the excuses you have ever given me, this has got to be the most preposterous," screeched Ms. Haruna. "You're getting detention and going to the principal's office," she added.

"But Ms. Haruna, if you don't believe me you can call my Mom, she was there. Or read this." Playing her trump card, Usagi handed her teacher the official copy of her marriage certificate filed in the city records that very morning. She smiled expectantly at Ms. Haruna.

Ms. Haruna read the document. It seemed to be the real thing. But how could this be true. This was Usagi after all. She blanched and sat down quickly at her desk. "Everyone take out their history books and read chapter 17. I need to step out for a few minutes. Umino please watch the class for me while I'm gone," said Ms. Haruna. She exited the classroom and ran down the hall to the ladies room. She collapsed on the couch in the outer lounge.

One of the other teachers, Ms. Yamoto, came out of the rest room. "What's wrong, Pat? You look awful. You're pale as a ghost."

She told her what had happened. "I'm 32 years old and haven't had a date in 3 months. How can that sixteen-year-old tardy klutz of a girl have gotten married on Valentine's Day! It's just not fair," she wailed.

Usagi and Naru spent the rest of their morning classes together gossiping, passing notes, and thinking up wedding ceremony plans. At lunch, Naru's mother found an almost perfect match for Usagi's ring. "That must have come from this store," she said. Usagi acknowledged that it did. Luckily the plain version was much less expensive. Still, Usagi's funds were almost wiped out. They stopped in an electronics shop on the way back. On the sale table in back, she found a travel alarm radio that would be perfect to offer as a replacement for the hated alarm clock. Borrowing the last few yen from Naru, Usagi completed her shopping.

"I'm totally broke. When I left my parents' house yesterday, I took all the money I had. I just spent the last of it." She told Naru. "Mamoru better have some cash or we're not eating tonight. It seems weird that I'll have to ask him if I want any money. No more begging from Mom or Dad."

"Unless you get a job," said Naru.

Usagi thought a minute, "My Mom and Dad would never let me get a job while school was on because my grades were so bad. You know, Mamoru works a lot of hours when he's not at school. I don't think I'll see much more of him than I did before. That's a lot of time cooped up in that dull apartment. I might even have to study out of boredom. Nah! Housework doesn't take that much time either. Maybe I should see if I could work a few hours a week to kill some time and get some extra money."

Usagi saw Minako, Makoto, and Ami for the first time since the previous week that afternoon during the break between classes. "Where have you been? You weren't at our French cram session yesterday afternoon," asked Ami.

Usagi looked at her quizzically, "Didn't Rei tell you anything?"

Minako said, "She was being mysterious. She said you had done something at the temple Saturday, but she wouldn't tell us anything more. She said we would have to ask you …unless we wanted to ask Mamoru."

Usagi related the events of the weekend. She concluded, "I guess Sailor Moon will be out of the action for a few months. I don't have any idea how all this might effect scout stuff. This is all so different from what I remember seeing in the future."

Ami pondered, "I think the timeline has shifted or split. The future won't be the same as we saw but I don't know what might change."

"Enough already, you are going to be bridesmaids aren't you?" Usagi asked them as she changed the subject. "Rei too of course. I want to ask Michiru and Haruka if they will do the music." The girls were delighted with the idea of a wedding to plan. They agreed to meet later that week at Usagi's apartment. More plans would have to wait  
until after school was over.

Hurrying along the route to the Crown arcade, Usagi had fallen into her old habit of not watching where she was going. Crash. She plowed headlong into someone. "Hey, Meatball Head watch where you're going," greeted her as she was grabbed and held to keep her from falling down. "Just like old times, eh?" A thoroughly amused Mamoru looked down at her as she started sputtering. "I couldn't resist seeing if you would  
notice me. I must have been standing right in your path since you came around the corner."

"Well I was hoping to run into you before we went inside anyway," she began.

"What, not heading straight for the games?" he asked.

"Nope, I'm broke. In fact I had to borrow some money from Naru. You'll need to pay her back for me." She answered.

"What? Did you two buy out the mall again? You're not one of those 'shopaholics' are you? Will I need to get a third job to pay all the credit card bills?" he razzed.

She sniffed, "No, I got something for you" and handed him the radio.

"I guess you really do hate that old alarm," he commented as he read the description on the box. "You didn't have very much saved I guess; this wasn't all that expensive."

She handed him the box from OsaP, "I got you something else too."

Mamoru looked at the ring that was the mate for the one he had gotten for her two years before. "Hey, it matches yours. Thanks, I'm touched. You didn't have to get me this you know."

Usagi smiled at him and said, "Yes I did. It's to let all your 'groupies' know that you're off the market. Besides I can't wait to see the look on Motoki's face when we go in there."

Mamoru picked her up and swung her around just to hear her squeal. He dipped her down and covered her with kisses from throat to lips. Setting her back on her feet, he held her face with both hands and kissed her briefly. "Until later," he whispered in her ear. Usagi wrapped her arms around his neck and dragged him down within her reach and kissed him back, molding herself to him.

"Now I think," was all she had time to say.

The doors of the arcade opened and their friend Motoki approached them. "Get a room will you," he teased. Brought back to the present, Usagi hooked arms with both men and dragged them on inside.

Usagi and Mamoru went and sat down in an empty booth as Motoki tagged along. "What can I get you?" he asked. "Forget that, two hot chocolates coming your way." Motoki made his way back to their booth juggling three cups of cocoa. "So where were you this weekend? Nobody would return my calls." He asked as he deposited the drinks on the table and slid into the booth next to Usagi. As Motoki was administering his customary hug, Usagi waved her left hand in front of his face. Surprise and curiosity crossed his face and his jaw dropped.

"That's quite a Valentine's Day gift you've got there," he commented to her.

Rolling up a menu, he leaned across the table and whacked Mamoru on the head a few times. "Hey, what's that for!" the victim protested.

"That's for not telling me. So you finally asked her, you dirty dog! It's about time. So when is the wedding? Of course as your best and probably only friend, I'm the best man, right?" he managed to get all out in one breath.

Mamoru smirked, trying hard not to break out laughing. Usagi started giggling and proceeded to laughing hysterically. She gasped out, "We're having a church ceremony the Saturday during the Cherry Blossom Festival," and continued laughing.

"Wow, that's awfully soon, isn't it?" Motoki commented. He looked suspiciously at both of them. "There's something else you're not telling me. Spill it." Usagi giggled and blushed. Mamoru looked at him with an amused expression and said nothing. They could see "the wheels turning" by Motoki's expressions as he tried to think of what they weren't telling him. He raised an eyebrow and said, "So the Bunny  
has a bun in the oven?"

Usagi looked away as she turned an even brighter shade of red. Mamoru maintained a deadpan expression and commented, "Two."

Motoki's jaw dropped for the second time within five minutes. He also whacked Mamoru on the head again with the rolled up menu, "Bad dog!" Motoki looked at him questioningly, "You're kidding right?"

This time Usagi supplied a one-syllable answer, "Nope."

Mamoru reached over and grabbed the menu with his left hand. "Enough violence, well maybe just a little more," and whapped Motoki on either side of his head.

Usagi gave both of them a dirty look and grabbed all the menus off the table and put them out of reach. "Stop it you two. I'm surrounded by a bunch of 12 year olds!"

At this time Motoki finally noticed that Mamoru was sporting a ring that matched Usagi's. He looked at Usagi curiously and asked her, "Isn't he supposed to get that when you get married?"

She smiled, "We had a very busy weekend."

Mamoru smirked, "By the way, you can let go of Usagi now. By my watch, you've been holding my wife for at least ten minutes." Motoki of course did the opposite and pulled her closer next to him.

He said to Usagi, "I don't think I hit him that hard. Has he been behaving normally? He really believes what he just said."

Usagi answered his implied question, "We sort of eloped Saturday."

"You're supposed to tell me before you do this kind of stuff," protested Motoki. "I bet I'm the last one to hear this."

Mamoru said, "You're the first one I've told anything."

Usagi giggled, "Of course I told all my friends, I want them all to be bridesmaids. We better put poor Motoki out of his misery and fill him in on all the details. Well, most of them." So they took turns telling the story of all that had happened to them since Motoki had seen them last.

"How about a pizza and a couple of shakes? I've got to get to work early tonight by 5:00PM." Said Mamoru. "Really into health food today," teased Motoki.

"Oh, Usagi can cook something tomorrow like tofu and vegetables. Tuesday's her night to cook." Decided Mamoru since he didn't want to do it himself.

Usagi answered, "Well that's okay by me except we don't have any food."

Mamoru said to her, "Well go get some groceries. Take the car, I don't need it tonight." She replied, "The car part I like. But I don't have any money! I told you that just before we got here."

"Then we should go to the bank after this and get you a cash card and a credit card on my account. See I've got a solution to everything," bragged Mamoru.

"Woo, dangerous! 'Letting' her drive 'your' car and use 'your' credit cards," added Motoki trying to get a reaction. He looked over at Usagi who was rapidly approaching the steaming mad stage. Motoki grinned at her.

Mamoru pontificated, "Well that's part of the package. You'll be in the same boat soon enough with Reika."

Looking over at Usagi with a puppy dog expression, he nagged, "Don't hurt my 'baby'; only drive 10 kph. Be careful, and park away from the crowd. Please don't spend too much. Don't go to the mall and max out my card…"

At this point Mamoru stopped talking as Usagi was actually starting to hiss. She was rolling up one of the menus she had taken away from Motoki and Mamoru. Motoki yelled, "Uh-oh, time to run!" He and Mamoru jumped out of the booth and took off toward the door to the kitchen with Usagi swatting the air right behind them. They managed to get to the storeroom and lock themselves inside.

A little while later, Unazuki, Motoki's sister yelled, "You can come out now. I bought off Usagi." As Motoki and Mamoru peered out around the door, the two girls just smiled and giggled at them. "By the way Motoki, you're buying their dinner and you just bought Usagi a week's worth of game tokens," taunted Unazuki.

 ~* ~* ~*


	4. Chapter 4

 

The days passed quickly, full of activity as Usagi and her friends planned her formal 'wedding' ceremony. Rei and Ami did most of the organizing (and bossing people around). Makoto volunteered to cater the food for the reception. Usagi's mother arranged to rent the chapel and for the priest from her church to perform the ceremony. Michiru and Haruka agreed to do the music. All the girls helped with addressing and sending out invitations. The guys were basically mystified at so much fuss over what Yuuichirou called a "rerun". They would generally disappear when they saw Ami or Rei heading their way.

Usagi decided to help Makoto since she had so many evenings alone while Mamoru was at work or school. It was a sneaky way to get help with her cooking skills. Plus she got a great dinner without having to do much work. She had improved a lot since she was younger, but was still far from being a gourmet cook like Makoto.

Although Ami was the obvious choice to ask about household math (one of the many classes she had slept through in school), Usagi didn’t want to get lectured on the background and history of finance and economics as well. Makoto volunteered to tutor her in budgeting and other household financial matters. She hoped to cut down on Mamoru's teasing; he found too much ammunition already.

Shopping for a wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses turned into an all day shopping foray. "I'm tired and hungry. Can't we go get something to eat now?" Usagi whined to Minako, who was dragging her toward the last bridal shop in the pricier end of the Harajuku shopping district.

"If you had picked any of the dozen dresses that I liked, you wouldn't still be looking," replied Minako.

Naru entered the conversation, "This is the last one, Usagi. You've just got to pick something. They have a lot of resale stuff too. It should be the most fun!"

Makoto, Ami, and Rei trailed behind looking in the windows of the stores they passed. Bringing up the rear was Michiru dragging a stubborn looking Haruka along behind her. "I don't know how I ever let you talk me into wearing a dress! You know I hate dresses," complained Haruka to her companion.

The store they entered was the largest one yet. Row upon row of formals and bridal wear were on either side of the entrance. Toward the back was a sign next to a doorway that read: "SALE! Rental Returns, Unpicked Up Layaways, Resale Items". Naru spotted the sign immediately, "Oh, look! Lets start back there!" and began moving toward the sale room. Ami, Rei, and Makoto also started in that direction.

Minako was pulled to a halt by Usagi's sudden turn the opposite direction. She was staring at a dress on the manikin in the wedding gown display near the window. "I want that one," said Usagi as she pointed to what was one of the most expensive looking dresses on display. Tier on tier of lace and net on the full white satin skirt, hand beaded with designs on the form fitting top and sheer long sleeves, and a lower cut front topped by sheer beaded netting was what had caught her eye. The full-length elaborate veil had similar designs on its lace and net construction.

Minako said, "Finally." She went over and checked the tag and gulped. "Uh, Usagi, you better take a look at the price tag before you decide for sure. It's a designer."

Usagi flippantly replied, "Price is no object. Mamoru said I could have whatever I wanted. This credit card doesn't have a preset limit anyway." She drifted over to where Minako was holding up the price tag.

"Wow," she commented as she read the 1,000,000 yen price. She waved over a clerk, "I need to try on that dress in a size small please." The girl, who worked on commission, practically ran over when she saw which dress interested Usagi.

The other girls were busy in the back room pawing through the piles of sale items in a true bargain hunter's frenzy. Haruka looked at Michiru and groaned, "There is no way I am going to look through piles of stuff. I hate shopping! I'm going outside and read, just come get me if you find anything." She started back out toward the front of the shop, thumbing through her latest Road Race and Track magazine. Not watching where she was going, she crashed into a mobile rack of evening gowns and knocked it over.

Michiru came back out to help her pick up the fallen items. Smiling evilly, she held up two matching dresses in cotton candy pink. They looked like a Little Bo Peep costume with poofy sleeves and skirts. "Aren't these just adorable and they match too. They would be perfect," said Michiru.

Haruka gave a strangled scream, "No way! I will never wear something like that. You're crazy!" She backed away and rammed into another rack, setting it swaying. She caught the rack as it tipped toward the floor and a dress caught her eye. "Hey, come look at these. They're not too bad." She was looking at dresses of similar cut in different colors. A plain sleeveless top flowed into a full-length skirt. She kind of liked one in grays and silvers shot through with silver and gold threads. There was a similar pattern in aqua and sea green that would be perfect for Michiru.

Michiru looked over the dress her partner had picked out. "I like these too. Let's get them."

Haruka looked at her and said, "You get them. I'm going outside to wait for the others. I can't stand this place any longer." She escaped out the door and Michiru returned to the sale room to see if the girls had found anything.

Naru was happily digging through a huge pile of unused returned dresses when she found a box holding the colors of the rainbow. She held up one dress that was a simple spaghetti-strap A-line floor length gown in yellow silk. She waved over to Rei, Ami, and Makoto. "Come look at these. I love this yellow one. They're in rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and indigo. It says you have to buy the whole set. They're really cheap though, only 35,000 yen. They'd be perfect for bridesmaids dresses."

Rei was the first to come over and immediately grabbed the red dress. She called to Ami and Makoto, "Come see the blue and green. And if Setsuna and Hotaru can come, they could wear the violet and indigo."

Minako came into the back room and told the girls to come see the dress Usagi was trying on in front of the mirror. She spotted the orange dress. "Hey there's one in my color too! Great find Naru!" Everyone seemed pleased by Naru's picks. These dresses were simple enough they could actually wear them more than once. They didn't look like most of the typical stupid bride's maid dresses. She added, "Let's take these out and show Usagi. We can gang up on her so we don't have to keep looking for something else."

Usagi was modeling the bridal gown. The rest of the girls were arrayed in the dresses they had picked out. Makoto dug out her camera that she always carried in her purse and handed it to the salesclerk. "Let's do a group photo of us all together. It's even one of the few times I've ever seen Haruka in a dress that wasn't her fuku," Makoto exclaimed.

After everything was paid for and bagged to go, Usagi had the final word, "Race you all to the food shops. Last one there has to buy and I'm starving. You know how much that will cost!" She scooted out the door as the rest hit the bottleneck in mass and crashed into one another trying to catch her. Shoppers dived out of the way as the herd thundered down the sidewalks. They reached the closest food pavilion as a group and were busily arguing who was in last place.

Minako spotted several of the guys heading their way. She pointed and said, "Look there's Yuuichirou, Uwara, and Shinozaki. And last of all is Mamoru!" Usagi and the rest began laughing hysterically. She tossed the credit card to him and said, "Last one here buy's and you're it. You can see the bill from the dress shop after you buy us all dinner." She and the other girls smirked at his confused expression. Just wait until he saw the surprise Usagi had waiting for him.

~*~*~*

The gang had gathered for pizza at the Chiba's apartment instead of a "rehearsal dinner". The vote on that had been unanimous. Rei finished going over her list. "Everything is ready for tomorrow except flowers and a photographer. We forgot those. I guess Yuuichirou can take photos if no one has a better camera."

Mamoru said, "I've got a friend who's a florist. I can see what he can come up with in the morning. Of course I can provide all the roses you want." Haruka started fidgeting like she couldn't keep quiet any longer.

As she started to say something, Mamoru cut her off, "Don't go there. Don't even start in on it. That's too much a cliché even for you!" Her obvious disappointment at having her jokes at his expense anticipated got almost as good a round of laughter as anything she might have said.

"Here comes more pizza. Who wants some?" asked Usagi as she carried two large boxes of pizza from the kitchen to the party in the living room. As she approached the coffee table to put down the food, she tripped over Motoki's stretched out legs and feet. The boxes of pizza went sailing. One headed toward Minako who caught it inches from the floor. The second flew over the couch and into Yuuichirou and Rei sitting together on the floor. Usagi crashed onto the couch sprawling over Mamoru, Ami, and Uwara. "Wwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!" she screamed.

"Oof, get off me. You must weigh 150 kilos," shouted Ami as she tried to shove Usagi off her lap. Uwara looked down with interest as Usagi's head and shoulders landed on him, giving him a bird's eye view straight down her blouse. He groaned as Ami slapped the side of his head. Mamoru writhed silently in pain from the impact of Usagi's knee to his groin. Usagi struggled to sit up, squashing Ami again in the process. She crawled over toward her wounded lover, who whimpered and drew up defensively.

"I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?" she attempted to apologize but was interrupted.

"You idiot Meatball Head!" screeched Rei as she stomped over toward Usagi holding a slice of pizza ready to throw. Yuuichirou leaped up, grabbed her, and tackled her to the floor. "Hey it was an accident, she tripped. You don't need to kill her this time," he said to Rei as she struggled to resume her attack. As Rei calmed down, he picked up the spilled pieces and looked inside the box. "Great, only three pieces got wasted," he commented as he munched on the piece he took away from Rei.

Motoki was howling with laughter at the chaos caused by the combination of his big feet and Usagi's klutz attack. "Way to go girl, put the groom out of commission the night before the 'wedding'! Good thing you've had plenty of time to sample the wares already," he teased Usagi. She was turning bright red at his raunchy teasing.

Mamoru had recovered enough to start paying attention to what was going on around him and was getting one of his 'I'm going to kill you' looks. Motoki noticed his expression and started to scoot away across the floor, "Whoa Dare, I'm just kidding. Don't get mad!"

Michiru and Haruka were watching from across the room. Haruka, who welcomed the opportunity to snipe at Mamoru, was thoroughly enjoying the comedy in progress. She decided to stir the pot a little more since her previous attempt had been blocked. "It's not like she'd miss anything anyway. She didn't seem to care about 'that' back when she had that crush on me. Even when she knew I'm female. But on the other hand, maybe 'that's' all he knows how to do."

The crowd now had the opportunity to watch their host turn all sorts of interesting colors as he looked from one source of irritation to another, while attempting to control his temper or deciding who to clobber first. The rosy hued Usagi jumped in front of him. "That's enough out of both of you. Just shut-up! Leave my 'baby' alone." This was enough to bring down the house. Anyone who wasn't already laughing at the Chiba comedy duo joined in.

Ami slyly added, "Between the comedy teams of Rei & Usagi, Usagi & Mamoru, and Mamoru & Haruka, you two will never need a court jester in your palace."

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it; I'm already up," said Usagi. As she opened the door she saw her mother outside in the hallway. "What's up Mom, I thought you said you weren't coming over tonight."

Her mother said, "I've been working on you father for the past two weeks. He's finally realizing you are gone. He came over to apologize." She looked around, "Kenji, where are you? Come back!" His back was disappearing into the doorway to the stairs.

"Well I got him this far at least. I had better go catch him before I lose my ride home. We'll see you tomorrow."

Usagi woke early the next morning anticipating "her day", that her friends had worked so hard to accomplish. She was glad it wasn't the "real" thing; she would have been so nervous it wouldn't be much fun.  She looked over at her sleeping companion. They had plenty of time; the festivities weren't until that afternoon. She could take the time to wake him up more pleasantly than the alarm clock. She rolled him over, straddled him, and leaned down and began kissing him.

"Hey," was all he managed to say as he responded sleepily in kind.

As she broke away briefly, Usagi smiled and said, "Morning, love."

Usagi laid her head on Mamoru's chest as he hugged her close. "I like this a lot better than being hit on the head with a pillow," he told her.

"Then you'll like the rest of what I have in mind even better," she told him and proceeded to show him exactly what she meant.

Late that morning, near lunchtime actually, they finished up breakfast and were doing the cleanup together in the kitchen. Mamoru commented, "I called my friend with the florist shop last night and his crew should be just about finished. I need to go over and see to any last minute changes and add in a few extra roses. I think you'll like what they've done."

"I'll see you over at the chapel a little later then," she answered.

Usagi arrived with Minako, who had picked her up on the way to the chapel with the wedding dress and the bride's maid outfits. They wandered around the hall. It was beautifully done in a muted pastel rainbow of colors. One hue blended into the next starting at both sides as you entered the chapel and joined at the top behind the stage. If less tastefully done, it could have looked silly. Flowers of all kinds were all around with a large number of roses and forget-me-nots scattered throughout. More were draped and twined about a trellis-like structure on the stage.

Mamoru came over and handed Usagi a multi-colored bouquet of roses. She told him, "It's beautiful. You and your friends have done a great job. Thank you. I love you so much."

He pulled her close and kissed her. "I love you too. This was just a little thing I could do for you." He pointed over to one side where a little old couple were adding a last few items of decoration. "That's my friends, the Tanaka's. They've been like grandparents to me since I started going to their shop about the time I met you."

Minako, Usagi, and Mamoru went into the reception room off the main chapel. Makoto was supervising the buffet set up. She moved over to guard the table with the cakes when she saw Usagi's expression. "That's for after the ceremony. You'll just have to wait. I thought about two chocolate cakes with the way you two love chocolate, but thought it would be prettier with a white multi-tiered bride cake and a chocolate groom cake."

Usagi looked over the rest of the table and giggled. "That's a joke, right?" she said when she saw some of the decorations. There was what looked like an Easter display with bunnies, baby chickens, and eggs around the cakes.

Makoto grinned, "Yup, Motoki came up with that. I thought it was so cute I let him leave it there."

Usagi commented dryly, "You forgot the turkey to represent him, then."

Usagi saw her mother, father, and a man carrying camera equipment enter the chapel. As they approached, she looked at Mamoru and smiled nervously. He stepped forward and said, "Welcome Tsukino-san," with a bow of the proper degree for a family elder.

Kenji raised an eyebrow slightly and offered a nod, "I understand a photographer is needed. My colleague was willing to come and help." Thanks were offered round and  
the traditional politeness, which had served even enemies for centuries, allowed the "unpleasantness" between the young couple and her father to be "forgotten".

Usagi and Minako adjourned to the ladies' dressing room to start getting ready. Rei, Naru, and Ami were already there. Rei commented, "It's about time you two showed up. Keeping the tradition of being fashionably late as usual. I'll have to go snag Makoto too, she won't leave the food a minute earlier than necessary."

A bright flash came from the mirrored wall behind them and they all whirled to see what was happening. Setsuna and Hotaru stepped out from the surface of the mirror. "Show off," sniffed Rei.

Naru gaped, "They must be Sailor Scouts. I didn't know you knew any of them, Usagi."

"Yeah, I do. It's a secret though. Don't tell anybody about them," Usagi answered Naru.

Usagi ran over to Setsuna and Hotaru, "Great, you were able to come. I'm so glad. We have dresses for you both."

"Wouldn't miss it," answered Setsuna. "I have a message here from Chibi-Usa and the King and Queen for you," she said as she handed Usagi a roll of paper. Usagi ripped open the paper.

"All our love and best wishes for you both," was signed with a drawing of a smiling bunny holding a rose. Scribbled writing beneath it said "Have fun and don't fall down," Love Chibi-Usa. A P.S. added below, "And all my stinky brothers say they love you too." Usagi looked at Setsuna with a puzzled expression. "How many is 'all' anyway?" she asked.

Setsuna smiled in reply, "You know I can't tell you that. You'll just have to wait and see for yourself."

Finally everything was ready. The music was provided by Michiru and Haruka as planned and was lovely. Everyone remembered their places and no one fell down, not even the "bride". The ceremony actually started on time, which was a good thing because it seemed to last forever. It was long, even though the priest said that since it really was a rededication of the couple's vows, he could skip the instruction part of the ceremony.

Usagi looked around taking in everything, all her family and friends were there the way she had wanted them to be. She loved the dress she had found, was happy with the decorations, and was especially looking forward to the food. She looked at over at Mamoru; he looked really good too. His expression when he first saw her in the wedding dress had been priceless; all he could say was 'wow'. "This is what I wanted the first time," she commented silently to herself.

Mamoru looked back over at her and grinned, "I heard that – I still liked the first ceremony better, especially the look on your face when you realized what had happened."

"You would. Any opportunity to tease me. And you're transformed; too lazy to fool with a regular tux, huh?" she thought back.

"Who had time. Besides I'm ready for trouble this way."

Neither one was paying close attention to what the priest was saying. "... and obey," Usagi picked up on that phrase. "How did that get there?" she wondered.

"Only in my dreams," commented Mamoru, adding, "You did say you wanted a 'traditional' ceremony." They finished the vows quickly when they finally noticed the priest looking at them expectantly.

As the formal grouping started to break up, Motoki commented to Minako, whom he was escorting for the day, "Hey, they're still going at it. Do you think they'll ever stop?"

Picking up the cloud of emotions lingering around the couple, she smirked, "Nah, it will be a while. Let's go in the reception hall and find some food. They'll be in when Usagi gets hungry enough for cake."

The reception proceeded with eating, dancing, opening of presents, and the like. Mamoru reclaimed his wife from the swirling crowd. "One last dance, Princess."

"Certainly, Prince. But why only one, I'm still having fun," Usagi asked.

"You need to change so we can go home and pack. We need to be at the airport in two hours for check-in at security," He told her.

"Where are we going? I thought you said there was no money for a honeymoon when you saw the bill for my dress," she squealed.

"I lied. I wanted to surprise you. You'll see where we're going when you get to the airport," he answered.

"I hate you! I want to know now! I hate it when you won't tell me things," she complained in an irritating whine.

"First you love me. Now you hate me. I guess I can't ever win. Oh, well, I'll just get a refund on the tickets or maybe someone here would like to use them instead," he teased.

"Don't even think about it, if you want to live that is," she growled. Usagi slipped through the crowd over to the dressing room to change back into street clothes. She went out the side door to wait for their getaway car to pull up.

As the car came around the corner she saw the disgusted expression on Mamoru's face. "They trashed my car, just look at it. I thought I hid it where no one would find it," he complained. It was covered with graffiti in various colors accusing the driver of various deficiencies in skills. Labels proclaiming "just remarried for the fifth time" and old shoes, trash, etc. tied behind it completed the look.

Usagi said, "Well for once it wasn't Motoki pulling the joke. Believe it or not, Ami and Umino did the decorating while Motoki and the other guys distracted you."

As he looked over the insults recorded on the hood he commented, "Well this has Haruka's signature on it or I'll eat my cape."

"She was gone for a while. Maybe she did help," noted Usagi.

"I'll leave the keys with the concierge and have them get the car detailed while we're on vacation," he said as they approached the parking garage at their apartment building.

"The staff here seems to do a lot of stuff for you. A lot more than I would expect for someone renting one of the smaller apartments," Usagi speculated as the elevator took them up towards their apartment. "And you've always been mysterious about money. Don't you think it’s about time I knew more about OUR finances."

"Umm... uh, I knew you'd eventually be curious enough to call me on it," he mumbled. "I'm not poor even though I sometimes pretend to be just a working student. I work more for the experience than because I really need the money. I mean, I'm still only twenty, after all. I try to make enough to cover all my, uh, our living expenses without hurting my grades. I've always had full academic scholarships all the way through school, from grammar school to medical school. Most of what I made modeling and from software royalties is tied up in different investments. Actually I own quite a few shares in the partnership that owns this building."

"But you only have a small apartment on one of the middle floors," Usagi commented.

"The more apartments you rent out; the more money the partnership makes. The penthouse apartments rent for the most money. If the owners all lived up there, we wouldn't make as much profit," he explained.

"We're going to need a bigger apartment eventually when our kids are older," she remarked.

"When we do, then we can move to a bigger unit or have some remodeling done," he answered.

"Anyway, what do I need to pack?" Usagi changed the subject, curiosity satisfied for the moment.

"You'll need your passport, camera, swimsuits, some tropical weather clothes, and maybe a couple of nice dresses if you want to go somewhere fancy," he told her.

The taxi deposited them at the entrance to the Tokyo International Airport. They entered and headed toward the departure area. "Okay, baka. We're at the airport. You had better tell me where we're going right NOW," fumed the exasperated Usagi. Tears were starting to roll down her cheeks.

The smirking Mamoru pulled out a brochure and handed it to his angry "bride". "Please don't cry," his countenance fell and took on a slightly anxious look as she seemed about to start wailing. She sniffled and started to read.

"For those who only want the best. Romantic getaways in the South Pacific are our specialty. Custom itineraries. Departures daily from Tokyo International and Kyoto airports. Sun, sand, swimming, sailing, and shopping.

A honeymoon planned with you in mind, Chiba Usagi. Four nights in lovely Tahiti and two nights in lively Honolulu."

Usagi quickly looked through the booklet and her tear-streaked face broke into a smile. She reached up around Mamoru's neck and pulled him down for her to kiss.

He pulled her closer and murmured an apology, "I'm sorry I pushed you too far. Sometimes I just don't know when to stop teasing you."

 ~* ~* ~*


	5. Chapter 5

"Luna, come over and look at this," said Artemis as he watched the computer screen.

As Luna joined him in front of the computer, she scoffed, "You know I don't read or watch the eGossip feeds. That's just a lot of garbage." But what was on the screen caught her eye.

"An item of local interest, Juuban district, publisher Kenji Tsukino's daughter was re-married in a small ceremony for family and three hundred close friends at the Crossroads Chapel this afternoon. It seems the sixteen year old high school student and her twenty year old boyfriend, a second year student in the accelerated medical program at T.U., had eloped several weeks earlier without her father's permission. The couple remained at odds with her father until a reconciliation occurred this morning. The beautiful blond bride has a reputation of taking the phrase "dumb blond" to new lows. Maybe not so dumb as she's reputed to be, her catch is smart and well off as well as good looking. Known a few years back on the runways, covers, and commercials for sportswear as Dare, the groom is also a part owner of the upscale Garden Towers high rise where the couple now resides. Not just another pretty gay cover boy it seems, if something of a cradle robber now. And it makes you wonder why, though, the whole affair was thrown together so quickly. Could it be the pitter-patter of little feet is expected not too long from now? This is Lei Lo, your Gossipbyter on the street, live from Crossroads Chapel. And now to you, Chang Lu, in Hong Kong."

"That is so mean! I want to rip that catty woman with all four sets of claws," Luna hissed.

"Well, unfortunately it's all true," said Artemis. "Maybe if we show this to Usagi, we can finally convince her to study more at school."

~*~*~*

The plane ride south was long and tedious. So Usagi curled up and fell asleep. Her extremely bored pillow sighed and stretched. Trapped with nothing to do, Mamoru soon followed her into dreamland.

The two flight attendants in first class moved past the sleeping couple into the galley to set up for the meal service. "Look at those two; isn't that sweet? They're adorable. Anita said that the girl told her they were on their honeymoon. But they're so young!"

The flight arrived in Tahiti after midnight. By the time the ferry arrived at the resort and they checked in at their cottage, it was into the early morning hours. Neither was tired though, since they had slept most of the flight down. "It's too bad you couldn't see this island from the air, it's shaped like a heart. There are a lot more beaches and it's a lot less developed than Tahiti. Tomorrow we're booked on an all-day islands tour cruise. It stops over near the airport at lunch and at the outdoor market. I did remember how you love to shop." Mamoru commented.

With a mischievous look in his eyes he said, "Let's go for a walk down the beach and maybe go for a swim. It's a beautiful night out."

"What are you up to now? You have that look I don't trust," Usagi speculated.

"If you're very, very, good maybe you'll find out," he replied as he led her out on the terrace and down the path to the beach.

She looked around at the spectacular vista and asked him, "Why did you do all this anyway? I mean, the south Pacific and Hawaii. I would have been happy just to go out of town somewhere for the weekend."

"I wanted to surprise you and do something for both of us. Our lives are so busy, always somewhere we have to be, work, studying, our friends, or youmas. There's so little peace. We can use some downtime alone together. These last few weeks especially, we've hardly seen each other. Was that ceremony and stuff everything you wanted? It seemed to go like you planned," he answered.

"It was all I ever wanted. Thank you for everything. And this trip too!" she replied.

"I didn't do much of anything, just sign a few charge slips. Those affairs are for the women anyway. The groom is just an accessory, like those fashion dolls' boyfriends Chibi-Usa used to play with," he glanced over at her with a smile.

"You understood what it meant to me. That it was something I had wanted all my life. Most guys would have blown it off because of the cost and trouble," she answered seriously.

"Aren't you glad I'm not most guys then, and a super hero too," he smirked.

She snapped her beach towel at him as he dodged away and ran into the surf. She followed splashing. An all out water fight ensued. Mamoru dived under the surface and swam under Usagi trying to trip her. She fell on him and started a tickle attack. He picked her up, carried her back out of the water, and put her down. He kissed her and said, "Enough. Let's walk."

They continued down the beach for three or four kilometers until they came to an area with sand dunes up to where the hills began. He began laying down beach towels. Usagi was turned toward the water looking out to sea. She looked over at him, "Did you know your eyes are the same color as the night sky or the ocean out there? There's even the reflection of the stars."

"And I see the same color as the lagoon in the day, when I look into your eyes," he replied as he stood next to her. "Have you been reading some of those silly romance novels again?"

"No, I just am a romantic. You should know that by now," she replied. "It's pretty out here, but far from our cabin. Why did you want to come way down here anyway?"

"I was looking at travel brochures one day on the commuter train. It was some time mid-day because it wasn't too crowded. They had an oldies radio station playing '80's music on the speakers. Anyway, as I was looking at the beach pictures, they played this old song that sounded just like this place. And I had this fantasy…"

"I knew it! It had to be something warped like that," she started to fuss.

"No, not at all." He silenced her complaints in the easiest way he knew how, by drawing her close and kissing her to silence. He continued, "The lyrics went something like, 'making love at midnight in the dunes at the cape.' You can almost see a place like this." He smiled and looked down at her.

She had caught the mood as well, "Then what are you waiting for, love me."

He drove her wild with lips, tongue, and fingers. Several times she was right at the edge but he stopped. She finally groaned in frustration, reached over and grabbed him, squeezing to get his attention. "I want you now or I'll finish it myself. Stop torturing me."

"Now why would I want to do that?" he answered with a lazy smile and hooded eyes.

"What?" she questioned.

"Look how hot you are for me," he answered with an insolent grin.

"Oh," comprehension dawned in her eyes. He rolled over on her and they moved together in a rhythm unconsciously imitating the slap of the waves on the shore.

Afterwards, sated, they slept. Waking at first light of dawn, they watched the sunrise. Mamoru traced circles on Usagi's stomach with a finger. "You won't be able to wear that little bikini much longer. Especially with the way you've been eating. And you haven't been sick much lately either. I don't see much difference yet, maybe a little bigger on top," he grinned.

She smiled at him. "I've noticed a few differences about you though."

He raised an eyebrow in question.

"You've managed to compliment me almost as often as you insult me. That's quite an improvement for you, you know. But most of all, your ego has gotten much bigger. Proud of being able to procreate, it seems. You're even more insufferable than you used to be." She commented.

"I'll take that as a compliment, myself. And all those big words, I didn't know you had it in you, 'Ami' my love."

Mamoru picked Usagi up and dumped her upside down over his shoulder. He carried her kicking and screaming out into the surf and dumped her in the water. She came up sputtering, "You'll get payback, you just wait! It will be your turn to be tormented," Usagi yelled.

"I'm looking forward to it," he smirked. "Now that we're not all sticky and sandy, let's go back to our cabin. We've still got a couple of hours to sleep before we leave for the tour boat."

~*~*~*

The tour boat was midway between the two islands. The wind had picked up and its direction was crosswise to the current. The size of the swells had increased dramatically from the calm waters near shore. A miserable Usagi was curled up against Mamoru. "I feel really awful. I shouldn't have eaten so much for breakfast. How much longer is it until we get there?" she asked.

He looked out toward the next island. "It shouldn't be much farther, we're almost there," he lied soothingly. He had no real idea how long it would really take to get there.

The boat hit the choppy wake from a cruise ship that had just passed. "Ooh, I'm gonna be sick," moaned Usagi as she ran for the lee rail. Her breakfast hit the water and she sagged in a heap on the deck. "Just let me die," she protested as Mamoru tried to help her clean up and move back to her seat.

Eventually the boat docked and they staggered ashore.

"No more boats! I'm not going back on that stupid boat today. Let's just get a room somewhere around here," Usagi said.

"But the ferry the other night didn't bother you. All our stuff is over on the other island," Mamoru protested.

"I don't care, you can't drag me back on any more boats. I'm staying on land! I don't want to get sick again," she announced.

"I don't ever remember you being seasick before," he commented.

"And I've never been on that rough a boat ride when I was pregnant before either. Duh. Some 'protector' you are today."

"Should I change part of my name then? Cross out Chiba Mamoru and write in Baka maybe?" he snapped.

Usagi giggled, "I don't think I want to be known as Mrs. Baka. Of course then I could get one of those tee shirts with the arrow pointing to the side that says 'I'm with Stupid.'"

"Well I'll have to cancel the rest of the boat tour today. We can at least go eat lunch and you can go shopping at the outdoor market," he decided.

Usagi brightened up at the thought of food and shopping. Looking around as they walked toward the restaurant, she stopped to read a sign in French and English. What about flying back? They say that they give helicopter tours of the islands on that sign. Riding in Michiru and Haruka's helicopter was a lot of fun."

"It probably costs four or five times as much money as the boat," Mamoru complained.

"I don't care. I'll stay here on this island and You can ride a boat back and bring all our stuff back over here then. I'm not going on any more boats!"

Mamoru sighed, "I concede defeat to superior forces, mi lady. You win."

They arrived at the seafood restaurant on the waterfront with the rest of the tour group. A table on the top floor deck gave a spectacular view of both the harbor and the inland mountains. Both were glad for a chance to sit and rest. Mamoru was full after a couple of plates from the buffet. He watched in amazement as Usagi continued to put away food. "That's the third plate you've filled at the buffet. It sure didn't take you long to get over being seasick," he commented.

"Well I lost my breakfast. I have to make up for that," she replied as she continued to clear her plate.

Mamoru lounged in the shade against a building watching Usagi as she haggled with the jewelry merchant. She was buying loose black pearls to give to her friends as thank you gifts. He smiled silently. Unknown to Usagi, he had bought enough pearls to make a necklace, bracelet, and earring set for her they when returned home. She had been oblivious to his short disappearance while she was clothes shopping earlier that afternoon. His backpack was full of souvenir trinkets, floral pareaux (wrap skirts) she had bought for all the girls, and a tifaifai patchwork quilt was draped over his shoulder like a Mexican serape. He hoped she would tire of shopping soon, but knew this was probably wishful thinking even though it was late afternoon.

He sauntered over to her and put both hands on her shoulders, "Let's take a break after this for drinks and maybe a snack," he told her.

They found an outdoor table at a nearby café. Usagi gave Mamoru the rest of her purchases to put away. She rummaged through his bag and pulled out the pareau wrapped skirt she had bought for herself. "I want to go try this on and see how it looks," she told him.

A short while later he looked up and saw her walking toward him with her back to the sun. His breath caught, and he stared openly as she approached. She had taken down her hair and it flowed down her back in a loose twist. Behind her right ear was a tiare flower. Her turquoise blouse was knotted up like a crop top. The wrap skirt was tied around her hips and opened diagonally above one knee dropping to mid calf behind. The material was not transparent, but was sheer enough he could see her legs silhouetted by the sun shining through the material.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are," he asked her. Her smile showed that she knew exactly the effect she was having on him. And from the comments from some of the other tables, he wasn't the only guy who noticed her. "You're wearing that flower on the wrong side. That flower should be behind your left ear. You're taken. You're mine."

She laughed at the possessive tone in his voice, "You can fix my hair if you want in a minute. Take these and put them in your bag." She handed him the clothes she had changed.

As he put away the tennis skirt he noticed some lacy things bundled inside it. "You didn't?" he questioned. She plopped on his lap and leaned against him. He ran a hand down her side and over her hip. "Oh that's evil, woman."

"Payback!" she chirped brightly and wiggled for effect.

He groaned and asked, "What happened to the innocent, naive Usako?"

"She watches TV and movies and spends way too much time around you," she answered.

"All these people are going to think I'm some kind of hentai. How can I go anywhere now?" he complained.

"Do you want to go to that Polynesian feast tonight then? They're having the native dance exhibition too. On the boat ride over you said that you wanted to see them. I think it would be a lot of fun." She smiled and tilted her head.

"How about we take that chopper you wanted to rent back over to the other island we're staying at, like now," he countered. He took the flower out from behind her ear and moved it to the other side. "At least now you won't send out the wrong message to all the salivating hounds over there," gesturing to a table full of guys passing round pitchers of beer.

"They'll be able to guess what's on Your mind anyway," she teased.

"I wish I had my old green jacket that you made me leave at home now. Give me that quilt back; I'm 'cold'. I'll wear it like a serape." He said as he made a grab for it.

She hopped up and dangled it out of his reach. "Come and get it."

"Quit trying to embarrass me! Give it back!" He started to get up, looked down, and flushed. "Or I'm not going anywhere," he amended, sitting back down under the table.

Check. She tossed the throw back to him. Walking behind his chair, she put both hands on his shoulders to hold him still. She nipped his shoulder and alternately blazed a trail of bites and kisses up the side of his neck and along his jaw. He wrenched around and captured her face between his hands. In a conversational tone he informed her, "If you continue that, you will be joining me in the john or in that alley over there backed up against the wall."

Eek. So Mr. Control has limits she thought. Well that's useful to know. And even though she admitted to herself with surprise, the idea had a certain kinky appeal. There was no way she'd risk embarrassing herself in public like that. She took his hands and pulled him up. "Let's go find that helicopter charter place." Stalemate.

Usagi trailed behind Mamoru, towed along by his death grip on her hand. She hurried to keep up with his longer strides. They entered the hanger and went over toward the somewhat seedy fellow lounging on a deck chair reading the sports section of the paper. He was encased in greasy gray flight coveralls, a backwards red baseball cap, and chewing on an unlit cigar. Just the sort of pilot to inspire confidence she thought sarcastically.

Mamoru said, "I want to hire a chopper to take us over to the Sunrise and Moonlight Resort on the other island."

The pilot answered, "The ferry is a lot cheaper and goes right near there. I usually do scenic tours around the islands." He looked up at them, giving Usagi an appreciative once-over, and smirking slightly when he noticed Mamoru's flustered expression and obvious distraction. "Or there's plenty of rooms for rent right around here," he drawled.

Usagi flushed and pulled at Mamoru's shirt and said, "Let's go. Maybe I won't get sick on the boat this time."

Mamoru looked at her, "I don't want you to risk it. Just because  
something is cheaper is no reason to make you feel ill." Addressing the pilot, "Can the advice. Just give me a price for a trip over now and a return the day after tomorrow in the morning."

"There's a two hour minimum charge each trip," the pilot dickered.

"Done. That will be fine. Just get us there in good time. Fly smooth, straight and level, no fancy stuff," Mamoru answered.

"Okay. I'll go fire her up. Come on out when I give the word. Name's Jim Bob, by the way," the pilot answered. Rich tourists, paying a two-hour fee for a thirty-minute ride, ya never know when you'll hit pay dirt around here, he thought to himself.

Jim Bob kept up a running monolog of the sights as they rounded the last of the mountains and headed down for level flight across the open water. Usagi was curled up comfortably against Mamoru on the second row bench seat. As the helicopter dipped suddenly when it hit an air pocket, she turned pale and greenish. "I think I'm going to be sick," she moaned.

Mamoru looked around frantically and retrieved a bucket and roll of paper towels from the box between the front seats. They were put to work as Usagi repeated her morning's performance on the boat. When he was sure she was finished, he scrounged through his backpack and retrieved a water bottle, toothbrush, and toothpaste. She looked at him gratefully. "Thanks. I feel better now. Are you always prepared  
for everything?"

After she finished cleaning up, she stretched out across the seat with her head cradled on his lap. He absently stroked her forehead and smoothed her hair. The pilot glanced back in his mirror, "You folks didn't just meet up here in the islands, I'd guess. Honeymooner's? Too bad the filly gets seasick and air sick," he commented.

Usagi roused a bit, remembering that it really was Mamoru's fault. "If somebody remembered that I get morning sickness and that rough boat rides don't help," she flared.

"You know I feel really sorry about that. Sometimes I'm such an idiot," Mamoru admitted, cuddling her closer.

The pilot made a gagging sound, "Awe ain't that 'tweet."

"Not that it's any of your business anyway," Mamoru growled.

By the time they were deposited on the beach out back of their cottage, Usagi was pale, shaky, and looked exhausted. Mamoru helped her inside. "Well at least it's door to door service. It should be for that price," he commented mostly to himself. Usagi was fading fast. She crawled up on the bed and conked out face down diagonally across it.

There was a long evening ahead and it looked like he would have to spend it alone. So much for her driving him to distraction and getting his hopes up for the night. It was payback all right, big time, he thought. Oh, well. He covered her with a light blanket and brushed her hair off her face. Plenty of time, for a long run down the beach, a long swim, and a nice long cold shower. I would let her talk me into not bringing any textbooks on the trip. I can't even study.

He decided to order room service for himself and some food for in the morning. "Je voudrais la soupe de légumes, la peche, une salade verte, et aussi pour demain matin une bagette, du fromage, des fruits, du café, et du thé." Not sure if that was grammatically correct but they should be able to understand it, he thought as he hung up the phone.

A quiet knock on the door woke Usagi. It was light outside, but extremely early for her. She went over and peered out through the peephole. An attendant stood outside with a cart holding a continental breakfast tray. Usagi immediately opened the door, quickly grabbed the tray off the cart, and slammed the door. She set the tray down on the table near the window. She had missed dinner the night before and was famished. She poured herself a cup of tea, grabbed an apple and a banana, and sliced pieces of bread and cheese.

A silent shadow crossed the room and stopped behind her, the tall elongated shape visible on the wall. It grabbed her shoulders and then hugged her as she let out a squeak of surprise. "I didn't hear you get up; you surprised me."

"How are you feeling this morning?" Mamoru asked.

"Fine, except I'm starved. I must have fallen asleep as soon as we got back here. I'm still in the same clothes." She answered.

"You walked in, flopped down on the bed, and were out as soon as you laid down. What do you want to do today? We can do whatever you feel like," he answered.

"Nothing, just veg out, lie on the beach in the sun, go swimming, sleep, and eat," she said.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"No, I can't think of anything," she answered trying to maintain a deadpan expression and not to giggle at the exaggerated faces he made.

"I can certainly think of something I want to do," he commented with a crooked grin and eyes widened in feigned innocence. Usagi burst out laughing.

So they spent the rest of the day doing whatever appealed to them both. At the end of the day they fell across the bed in exhaustion. Usagi decided Mamoru needed to be picked on a little, "So you want to go swimming again now or play some of 'your' games right here?"

"We went swimming this morning. I'm too tired for any games. You wore me out woman," he admitted.

Usagi smiled, "You know we've never done anything transformed, it might be fun and you should have plenty of energy then."

A speculative look crossed his face, "That Sailor Moon costume does have that really short skirt and those boots, and some of the stuff I've dreamed about doing with her would be really fun to try."

She smirked, "You hentai. I don't think I have the energy for a SM transform, how about a beautiful princess instead. You were always dreaming about her anyway. And you can wear your mask and cape…"

"What is it about women and that cape anyway?" he wondered aloud. "I've had so many comments about it from female fans."

"Well why don't we try and find out," Usagi proposed.

~*~*~*

"Wow, you got through the whole flight this time and didn't get sick. I'm proud of you," Mamoru teased Usagi as they checked into the hotel near the airport for their last night in French Polynesia.

"Let's go to the 'native' feast and dance tonight," Usagi said as she looked at the publicity flyers for the island attractions in the lobby.

"Ok. I did tell you the other day I wanted to see that," Mamoru said. He moved out of hitting distance and added, "I sure wanted to see those girls dance; they can really wiggle." Poised to flee, he waited to see if she would react explosively.

Instead she just gave him a wide fake smile, "Well the native men dance too and they don't wear shirts. They look sooo good," she threw right back at him and tried a leering expression. She looked so funny he just leered back at her, which started them both giggling helplessly.

"And I love you, man of masks and funny faces. You make me laugh," She told him.

"I love you too. You brought light and happiness into a dark and lonely life," he answered.

~*~*~*

Another long plane ride the next day brought them to Honolulu International Airport on Oahu in Hawaii. "I got reservations at the Hyatt for a room in one of the towers on the 36th floor. It's across the street from the beach. We've got dinner reservations at the rooftop restaurant. There's a nightclub too, if you want to go dancing. It's formal this weekend for some reason though; some convention or benefit or something has most of the hotel. We're only booked for two nights here since we both have to be back at school on Monday," Mamoru commented.

Usagi groaned, "Oh, don't even mention that place. I don't want to think about it until Monday!" She paused a minute and a mischievous smile lit her face, "I don't have any formal dresses with me. I didn't bring any. You know what that means!"

Mamoru moaned, "Oh, no. No-o-o-o-o! Not that! Not more . . . shopping."


	6. Chapter 6

Usagi paused a minute and a mischievous smile lit her face, "I don't have any formal dresses with me. I didn't bring any. You know what that means!"

Mamoru moaned, "No-o-o-o-o! Oh, no. Not that! Not more . . . shopping."

"I changed my mind, let's eat somewhere casual," he continued.

"We should just have enough time to go to Ala Moana Center, Ward Center, Ward Warehouse, and then Aloha Tower Marketplace if they don't have a dress I like. Of course there are lots of shops near the Waikiki beach too, but they're mostly tourist stuff." Usagi elaborated, making her plans.

Mamoru visibly shuddered and groaned again. "How did you know what all the shopping centers are?" he asked.

"I read the shopping section in your tour book," she answered.

"Is that all you read?" he questioned.

"I read the part on the beaches too. What else is there?" Usagi responded, knowing there would be some comment.

"You can find that out tomorrow. The only way I am driving around to all those shops is if you go on a cultural or historical tour with me tomorrow morning, with no whining or complaining," he stated his conditions for going shopping.

"Only if you quit whining about going shopping. It's fun!" she countered.

"Whatever, I'll do it. Let's go after we drop off our stuff at the hotel." he capitulated.

Poor long-suffering Mamoru heaved a sigh of relief. Usagi was finally done shopping after going to at least half the dress and shoe stores on the island he guessed. She ended up with a long ice pink halter-top back-less dress, matching shawl, sandals in a darker metallic pink, and a small pink shell covered evening bag. She looked him up and down, "I think we should rent you a matching tux."

"No way! You wouldn't catch me dead in a stupid pink tuxedo! Get that idea out of your mind or you're going to dinner by yourself!" he exclaimed.

Usagi laughed, "I wouldn't be by myself very long. Anyway, I was just teasing. You would look stupid in that color outfit, maybe yellow or baby blue?"

"Aak!"

"I still need to buy makeup and nail polish, and some other stuff," she listed.

"Just go to the stylist at the hotel and get your nails and makeup done too, why don't you," he came up with a practical idea that she liked for once.

A couple of hours later, Usagi joined him back at their room. Her hair, nails, and makeup were done to perfection. She had chosen a metallic pink polish to match her sandals. Her hair still had her usual meatballs, but they were higher up and at the back of her head. A twisted roll of hair was gathered on each side of her face and went backto where the rest of her hair cascaded down out of the buns. Shiny thin silver and pink ribbons were woven through the twists in her hair and flowed loose down with her pigtails.

Usagi found Mamoru sprawled on the bed still dressed in a loud tacky Hawaiian shirt and khaki shorts reading a book, "Historical Healing Techniques of Native Hawaiian Kahunas". He had managed to sneak into a bookstore while she was trying on shoes at the mall. A pile of other books rested on the floor beside the bed: A History of Naval Warfare in the Pacific - 1500 to 2000, Medical Practices of the Early Hawaiian Missionaries, Historical Migrations of the Polynesians, etc., but not a single manga or fashion magazine for her. "How do you manage to find such boring books? You should be getting ready by now anyway. You were supposed to rent a tux at the formal shop down the block," she nagged.

Not looking up from his book, he answered, "It only takes a second for me to get dressed. Why waste the money to rent a tux when I can just transform and be my dashing, handsome, superhero self?"

He finally looked up when the pillow she threw at him landed on his head. His eyes widened with appreciation as he looked her over, "Very nice. Come over here and sit down," he said as he patted the bed beside him.

"I don't think so. I didn't spend all that time at a salon to get my hair and makeup all messed up before we even leave the room. You're not shielding; I can read exactly what's on your mind, even if I couldn't tell from your expression. You need a shower anyway, go take a cold one," she answered.

"Oh that's cruel. Don't you have any appreciation at all for my great sacrifice of driving you all over Oahu to go shopping?" he said as he put on a hopeful expression.

"Nope."

Mamoru got up and began advancing toward her. Caught between the bed and the door to the bath, Usagi backed into the bathroom. When he was close enough, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him into the bathroom. She turned him toward the tub, gave him a shove, and scooted out closing the door behind her. A muffled, "That's a dirty trick," came from the bathroom.

When she heard the noise of the shower, she opened the door and looked inside. She saw that he was in the shower and picked up the dirty clothes off the floor, being careful to keep out of his reach. She didn't trust him one bit when he was in a playful mood. Thinking about that as she paused in doorway, Usagi had to ask, "You've really changed since we've been married. You used to be so standoffish and distant, not now', 'we shouldn't do this', and Mr. Self-Control and all when I got in a mood like that. You didn't pay as much attention to me or watch me nearly as much. Now you're all eyes and Mr. Touchy-Feely, Grope and Grab. Why so big a change?"

Mamoru laughed. "I'm not different at all; I've always been this way. I just hid it better. I'm a guy after all. You were too young and I didn't want anything to happen. I thought we should wait. And it's been a long two years, believe me." He looked at her slyly and continued, "Remember, you were the one who knew what she was doing when you got yourself in trouble, even if you blame me. I didn't start it." Amending that last remark, "At least not consciously."

She blustered, "Did too. It was all your fault!"

He emerged dripping from the shower, smirking, "Darling, it takes two to tango so to speak. Do please toss me a towel."

She blushed sheepishly and tossed him a pile of towels, "I hate to admit it, but I guess you're right." She remained in place watching as he dried off.

"Seems to me you're the one who's all eyes now," he commented.

"I won't deny it. 'You take my breath away.' She quoted.

"That's from that new song*, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know how you sometimes can't get one out of your head. I was thinking it could be about us," she answered.

Usagi drifted toward the closet to finish getting ready to go out. She shucked her shorts, top, and undies, pulled on a pair of shiny tights, and slipped on her sandals. Hearing a bit of muffled sound, she looked over at Mamoru, who was now completely dressed in formal attire and combing his hair in front of the mirror. She threw her dress over her head and started adjusting the fit. "Since you're done, you can come over and do the back of this for me," she told him. "I need you to tie the halter straps behind my neck and lace the ribbon through the holes along the back. It should work like when you lace up a new pair of shoes, otherwise it won't stay in place."

"And that's a problem?" he teased.

"You might not like it if my dress came loose on the middle of the dance floor. You being the jealous type," she quipped back at him.

"Hmm. Good point." He mumbled with one end of the dress strap held in his teeth as he threaded the crisscross pattern across her back. When he finished, he twirled her around to face him and stepped back to see the final product. "Ditto your earlier quote. You look fantastic."

"You're not too hard on the eyes yourself, love," she traded compliments, while wrinkling her nose and giggling.

Mamoru handed her the shawl that matched her dress and her purse, motioning her to proceed him out the door. "Dinner awaits, my lady. Let us now depart," he commented theatrically.

~*~*~*

The restaurant was on the top floor of their hotel with windows all around. Most of the ceiling was glass skylight. There was a dance floor occupying about one-fourth of the room near the bar. The kitchen was on the floor below, with access stairs next to the elevators in the center of the floor. The tables were about three-quarters full. Usagi and Mamoru were seated at a table by the window near the dance floor. After perusing the menu, they ordered. "The lady will have the seafood sampler and I'll try the Hawaiian beef," Mamoru told the waiter. They kept the waiter busy shuttling back and forth with bowls of salad and loaves of bread as they waited for their entrees.

They listened to the band playing as well. "That's different, they have a Spanish name, but they've played salsa, reggae, calypso, and even some African music. They're really good," Usagi commented.

"If you remember some of the Latin dances from that class we took, we could try dancing to it if you want," Mamoru said. "Or they have a rock club in the building next door if you'd rather do that later," he added.

"I'd love to dance a little later. Here comes our dinner," Usagi noted, her gaze fixed on the serving tray covered with food. "It looks great and I'm still starving."

"Even after two helpings of salad and three little loaves of bread?" Mamoru teased. "You should be stuffed!"

"Mmm. This is good. You want to try a bite?" Mamoru asked Usagi. "Whoa, I said one bite, not half my dinner," as he snatched his plate back out of her reach.

"Meanie. You can have my lobster and oyster dish, the shrimp cocktail, and the fried fish too. I don't want them. I'll trade for some more of yours," she bargained.

Although he really preferred his own dinner, Mamoru went along with her deal. 'I'm so easy,' his thoughts leaked out.

"You sure are, now and when it comes to helping me with school, and in the bedroom too," Usagi smiled in agreement.

Usagi and Mamoru had a chance to perfect their Latin rhythms and danced several sets. They had quite a few people watching them it turned out. After one particularly flamboyant dance routine, they received a sprinkling of applause. During the band's break between sets, Mamoru took a trip to the men's room leaving Usagi seated at their table. He had indulged in a couple of after dinner drinks since they did not have to drive anywhere. Usagi stayed with sparkling water of course, not wanting to take any unnecessary risks by drinking alcohol while pregnant.

While Mamoru was gone, a tall good looking guy with longish red-brown hair and golden brown eyes walked over to their table and asked if he could talk to Usagi. He appeared to be a few years older than Mamoru and was dressed in a charcoal gray Italian suit. He introduced himself as Scott Sellmore, there for the advertising convention at the hotel that weekend. "I couldn't help watching you and your partner while you were dancing. That hair of yours is unique. Do you ever do any modeling or acting?" he asked her.

Usagi answered, "No, I haven't, but I've always thought that it would be fun. Have a seat and tell me more."

Scott continued, "Well maybe you should consider it. My agency does the advertising for Rapunzel, Ltd., the hair care products manufacturer. I know they are always looking for new talent and looks for their magazine ads and television commercials. If you like, I could put you in touch with their people."

Mamoru returned and saw some strange man sitting in his chair, talking to his wife, 'playing' with her hair. As he stood a couple of feet away from them, Usagi felt the temperature drop at least ten degrees and looked up. She saw the same icy expression that had been turned on countless youmas just before they were dusted. She gulped and cleared her throat, "Uh, Mamoru this is Scott Sellmore. He was just telling me about this company he thinks I should contact about modeling."

Scott took in Mamoru's menacing expression and jumped up quickly and stepped back. "Sorry, that must be your chair."

Mamoru looked disgustedly at Usagi, "You know that kind of story is just about one of the oldest pick up lines in the book. The ‘company’ is probably him or some friend that does nude ‘test photo-shoots’ and posts the pictures on the net."

Scott protested, "No way. This is totally legit. I'm here for the convention. Here's my card." He looked at Mamoru closely. "You look familiar. Have you ever done any TV spots?"

Usagi thought quickly, a save. Appeal to Mamoru's vanity and he'll calm down. She practically gushed, "A few years back, you saw his picture everywhere. He did runway modeling in fashion shows, ads, TV commercials, and was the centerfold for Tightend Jeans and Stuffed Shorts spreads in all the magazines. He even had a few covers."

Mamoru reddened a little. "Quit it. You're embarrassing me. You know I don't like to be reminded of all that. I know what you're doing. It's okay. I'm not going to do anything stupid," he told Usagi. Both Usagi and Scott let out a sigh of relief.

Scott grinned, "You've just given me a couple of ideas for the new Rapunzel campaign. The prince comes to rescue the princess in the tower and she lets down her hair. You both would be perfect for that commercial. Why don't I set up a meeting tomorrow with some of my people…"

Mamoru held up his hand in a stop motion like a traffic cop. "Usagi and I are here on vacation. Tomorrow is our last day in Hawaii before we fly back home. We're not here on business."

Usagi broke in with a smile, "Actually we're on a belated honeymoon. We didn't have time to get away from Tokyo when we first got married."

Scott seemed a bit surprised. "I thought maybe you were British or Australian from your accents."

Mamoru smiled, "A lot of our teachers were from there. Usagi's mother is half-English. But enough business for tonight. I had planned on a romantic evening with my lady here. Here's my card. Email me the information on the ad campaign and the contract info and I'll have our agency people look it over. Then your Asian office can set up a meeting or a videocon to go over details. And Usagi won't be able to do full length work much longer anyway."

"Why not?" questioned Scott.

"She's expecting twins in November," Mamoru answered as he smiled and hugged his wife.

"Well congratulations. I'll be going. Nice to meet you both. I'll be in touch on the commercial deal," said Scott as he stood up, shook hands with Usagi and Mamoru, and left.

Usagi squealed, "I don't believe it. I get to be a model! And you told me that time that I couldn't do it."

"I never said you couldn't do it. I was suspicious of that photographer and it turned out to be a Negaverse plot if you remember," Mamoru answered.

They stayed up partying, dancing, and celebrating for a couple more hours.

Usagi was drifting to sleep. "Was it a romantic enough evening for you, my little sentimental love?" Mamoru asked.

"Umm…" was the only reply he heard.

~*~*~*

"Today we play tourist. You promised yesterday when I agreed to take you shopping." Mamoru reminded Usagi.

"But I donwanna," she started to whine.

"You also promised no whining or complaining. You make a list of the places you'd like to see and I'll make a list and then we'll compare. And no malls, clothes, or jewelry stores," he added as he caught the gleam in her eye.

Usagi listed, "Art academy, museum or gallery, Iolani Palace, Waimea Falls Park, and the beach!"

Mamoru compared his list, "Bishop Museum, Arizona, Aquarium, Waimea Falls Park, and surfing. Well it looks like a few of the things are the same."

"Why don't we get one museum over with this morning and take a picnic lunch to the park to see the water falls, then we can go to the beach this afternoon," Usagi threw out. Having learned that if she came up with something quickly enough, more often than not Mamoru would go along with it. Thinking quickly she added, "No war stuff."

"But I was just reading all this stuff in the book I bought," he protested. He looked at her expression and sighed, "All right, we'll drive by there and go the museum instead."

At the end of the afternoon, Usagi gratefully collapsed on the beach. "I'll just watch while you try surfing. I don't think I should try that now, it might be too dangerous."

Mamoru started to try to persuade her, then he remembered that she was right. "I forget sometimes. You could paddle around on a boogie board if you want."

"I'm too tired. I need to rest. In the old days, a woman in my 'delicate condition' would be waited on hand and foot," she added waving a hand in the air to make a point.

"Yeah, right. More likely she would find a dry spot in the field, drop the baby, and then go back to raking or hoeing or whatever farmers do," he razzed.

Mamoru had finished with his surfing. It was fun all right, but he wished some of his friends were there to try it too. He dribbled some water on Usagi to wake her up. "You better wake up and roll over or you won't be baked evenly on both sides," he teased. He collapsed beside her on the towel and was soon asleep himself.

By the time they both woke up again, the sun was setting. "Look how pretty the clouds in the sky are, all pink and purple," said Usagi as she shook Mamoru to wake him up. "I'm hungry, lets go to that luau at the Polynesian center the guy in the surf shop told us about."

"Certainly darling. You do know it's buffet style, all you can eat," Mamoru smirked.

"Of course. Why do you think I want to go there," she replied seriously, not realizing he was trying to tease her and make her mad.

They returned to their hotel and changed. Mamoru put away a fair amount of food himself, giving Usagi the opportunity to tease him about eating for a change. Usagi dragged Mamoru out into the crowd of loudly dressed middle-aged tourists and families for the 'hula lesson'. "I don't care if it's touristy or silly, I want to try this."

As he watched the girl showing them the steps and Usagi as she swayed and wiggled, he grinned. "It was a pretty good idea after all."

Usagi swatted him with a lei she was holding, "Hentai! I caught what you didn't say too." Mamoru just laughed and picked her up and carried her back to their car.

The next afternoon and their flight back home came all too soon. "I really don't want to go back to school. Can't I just take another week off 'sick'?" complained Usagi.

Mamoru had his nose buried in one of his books and was not really listening. "Yeah, sure. Whatever. Don't you want to take a nap or something?" Usagi smiled. Even though she knew he would drag her out of bed and make her go to school, she still could throw his comment back at him later.

~*~*~*

The morning after they arrived home, Usagi woke early. I must still be messed up changing time zones she thought, or his tossing and turning woke me up. Mamoru was moving restlessly where he lay next to her. She saw a projection beneath the sheet. I know what kind of dream he's having she mused as she pulled back the sheet. That's too good to waste she thought lecherously. Mamoru awoke to find Usagi had joined him in his nocturnal escapades. "Oh boy, do I ever like your ideas. But we have to stop. You're bouncing on my bladder and I really, really, really gotta go!" he whined.

Usagi followed Mamoru to the bathroom, deciding she wanted to take a shower. Seeing Mamoru standing by the toilet just staring at it for several minutes she asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's too hard to go now," he complained. She was totally unsympathetic because after all he was the one who cut short her fun. She remarked sarcastically, "Well just get the pitcher of cold water out of the fridge and dump that on it, that should solve your problem."

"Eueh, no way. Don't you want to?" he asked looking over at her.

"Uh-uh, you had your chance and turned it down," she smirked.

"I bet I can change your mind," he said as he stalked over and climbed in the shower with her. She quickly became interested.

Looking at him questioningly, "How do I know you won't pee on me?"

He flushed, "Well you could just give me a bath instead, make sure I'm really clean, all over." And gave her the puppy begging for scraps at the table expression. It worked.

Usagi noticed him looking and mentally measuring the distance between the shower and the toilet. "Don't you dare," she screeched. "I'm not cleaning that up. And I get tired of stepping in it when you don't turn on the light in the middle of the night," she complained. He relented and dripped over to take care of nature's other call.

Returning to the shower, he grinned and grabbed the hand-held shower massager and attacked. "I think you need a good bath too."

~*~*~*

The inners had gathered at the temple after school for the senshi meeting. They were sitting on the low wall, except Rei who was standing a few feet away facing them. She was teasing Usagi about her honeymoon. In a high pitched whiney voice Rei imitated Usagi, "Ooh, my darling Tuxedo Mask, do it again. This time wear your mask and cape and hat."

Usagi protested loudly, "I didn't say or even think anything about that!" Usagi saw Mamoru approaching them silently from the direction behind Rei. His expression was extremely irritated. It quickly changed to one of mischief as he thought of an idea.

He snuck up behind Rei and wrapped her in a hug. "Sorry darling, I don't think I can fulfill your peeping telepathic fantasies, Usagi might be upset if I did," he stage whispered in Rei's ear loudly enough for them all to hear, while winking at Usagi and the other girls. As expected, Rei flushed a bright shade of red and sputtered in embarrassment.

Mamoru quickly gauged the distance between the girls and himself and the likelihood of ending up majorly bruised. He shrugged it off; it would be worth it. Mamoru slowly looked over all the girls: Usagi, Ami, Minako, Makoto, and finally turning Rei around to face him and releasing her. He gave them the most lecherous leer in his repertoire. "Of course, as King and Queen, we could change the laws regarding marriage, at least for the nobility. Then I could have you all. My Moonlight Knight persona could really get into a whole harem full of pretty Sailor senshi concubines."

He paused for effect and to gather himself for a mad dash away. Howls and squeals of outrage greeted him. He took to his heels at top speed. Usagi was right behind him swinging her purse like a morning star on a chain. Rei had grabbed her broom and was attempting to swat him from behind. Makoto brought up the rear with doubled fists; she really needed nothing else to finish him off after the others brought him down. Ami just remained seated and raised an eyebrow. Minako fell off the wall laughing uncontrollably.

~*~*~*


	7. Chapter 7

"Mammmooorrruuu," came the high-pitched, annoying whine (like fingernails on a blackboard) from the bedroom. "I can't find my stuff. I'm tired of looking through all these boxes. I need a dresser and someplace to do my hair and makeup. And you never put up more shelves or hanging rods in the closet. My dresses are all wrinkled. It's been over two months. Are you ever going to build that stuff?" Usagi nagged.

He shouted back, "Well I'm tired of your crap scattered all over the bedroom too. It looks like a pigpen. All that makeup and cleaner and girl junk is all over the bathroom. Don't you ever put it away? And blond hair everywhere – you're shedding just like Luna does!"

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!" began the wails and sobs of the temper tantrum.

Mamoru cringed. He couldn't stand to hear her cry. In the years they had been together, she had trained him well. Totally whipped, he thought to himself disgustedly. Well it stops now. He walked over to the bedroom door, "I didn't marry a two year old. Those tactics aren't going to cut it anymore. I'm going to work. If you can hold a sensible adult conversation without the hysterics by the time I get back, we can discuss it then!" Through her sobs, Usagi heard the door slam as he left.

Usagi continued to cry tears of anger and frustration. "He hates me. He doesn't love me anymore," she wailed as her sobs turned to those of self-pity.

"The nerve of that man, I do not shed everywhere," Luna huffed as she strolled out from under the coffee table where she had been hiding during the fight. "Oh, Usagi put a lid on it. He's gone and can't hear you. These temper tantrums do get old you know. And you know very well, Mamoru does not hate you. I've never seen anyone who could love you as much as he does."

Usagi stopped the snuffling and sniveling. She giggled, "You do too shed all over the apartment. He's probably peeved that he has to clean your litter box too, since I'm not supposed to do that while I'm pregnant. Ordinary cats don't nag their owners about it the way you do either."

"Well, I never," sputtered Luna and stalked off with her head and tail held high.

That night Mamoru stopped off at the Crown arcade to see his friend Motoki before going home. Motoki was doing the cleanup before shutting down for the night. Mamoru told his story. Motoki said, "You both were basically saying the same thing. Only you two could manage to argue about something you agree on. She's right about you promising to fix all that stuff a couple of months ago though. I remember her saying something about it back then."

Mamoru protested, "We hardly ever argue anymore."

"Could have fooled me. You sure put on a good act then!" responded Motoki.

"Sure we spar all the time, but it's just for fun, mostly teasing or flirting," Mamoru admitted.

And you should have called her on the temper tantrums a long time ago, but Buddy your timing really stinks."

"What do you mean?" asked Mamoru.

"You've never been around a bunch of pregnant women before have you? Any little thing would set off my mom, sisters, cousins, or their friends. Waterworks one minute and laughing the next, you never knew how they'd react to anything. And it only gets worse, just wait and see," teased Motoki.

"Actually Usagi's been better about crying lately. I thought she was starting to grow up." Mamoru grumbled as he headed toward the door, "Gee thanks Motoki – for nothing."

Mamoru returned home around 10 PM that evening. He had no idea what he might be facing and was a little worried about the kind of reception he might get. He quietly entered the apartment and smelled the most wonderful aroma from the kitchen. Was that brownies and chocolate chip cookies? He looked around the corner and saw Usagi taking cookies out of the oven. They looked fine and there was no burnt smell at all. There was a pan of what looked like hot chocolate on the cook top simmering. Amazing. This was not at all what he had expected.

They both looked up at each other. Simultaneously they began, "I'm sorry. That was a really stupid argument." Usagi giggled and Mamoru smiled and walked over to give her a hug.

Usagi poured a couple of mugs of cocoa and put some cookies and brownies on a plate. "Let's go sit down and have a snack." Mamoru picked up the mugs and followed her into the living room and joined her on the couch.

Feeling magnanimous after feeding on some of his favorite snack foods, Mamoru gestured, "You go first."

Usagi started, "You said you'd build more shelves and rods in the closet. We agreed my bedroom stuff from my parent's house was too 'kiddy' style and wouldn't look good. I thought you were going to buy some more furniture."

"Who's had time do build anything, between school, work, and your 'wedding' activities? Besides you know I'm not a 'Mr. Fix-it' type. Intellectual pursuits, sports, medicine, even cleaning, I'll do. Carpentry, I'd rather hire out. Besides I thought your friends would want to go shopping with you to help you pick out some furniture and other stuff for the apartment anyway," answered Mamoru.

"Don't you want to go with me?" she questioned.

"Not really, maybe for the baby stuff. I don't care about the rest as long as you don't get everything pink and covered with bunnies or all frilly," he added. Mamoru paused and looked at her questioningly, "You changed tactics. I like bribery much better than the whining and crying."

Looking slightly embarrassed, Usagi replied, "It was Luna's idea. She got on my case too about being too old for temper tantrums."

Makoto, Ami, Naru, and Usagi were gathered at the low table in the living room that doubled as a coffee table and traditional style Japanese dinner table. The table was covered with Makoto's decorating books and magazines, furniture catalogs, paint color chips, and fabric and wallpaper samples. The project was to redecorate 'Usagi's' bedroom and living room, and convert the small study (junk room) to a nursery. Mamoru's 'bachelor' apartment would never be the same.

"I'm so tired of my stuff being stored in cardboard boxes in the corner of the bedroom. My dresses and hanging clothes certainly deserve more than half of a single rod in the closet," Usagi complained. She added, "We were arguing about that the other night and the funny thing was, we were both complaining about the same things. I didn't even have to go to Plan B: if we didn't get a new bedroom set, redo the closet, and set up a nursery, his precious stuff would go to the resale shops, starting with that ugly old green jacket. Unfortunately, he even suggested that I should go shopping with all of you. So it's still here."

Ami said, "I don't understand what the big deal is with that jacket. Just hide it so he can't find it."

"Believe me, I've tried. He has radar or something. He can always find it again," Usagi replied.

Makoto and Naru were wandering around the apartment looking at the furniture, electronics, closets, and room layouts. "You know, he has really nice stuff, just not very much of it," said Naru to the rest of the girls.

Makoto started thumbing through one of her books. "Here it is, it even fits a style." She started reading, "Traditional Japanese style can be described as minimalist and shows the influence of Zen Buddhism. While still popular, city apartment dwellers have tended to combine this with the latest in technology. The style can be described as techno-minimalist."

Usagi looked confusedly at Makoto, "Huh, what does that mean?"

Ami smiled, "He likes expensive electronic toys and gadgets, and doesn't like clutter and lots of stuff."

Naru teased, "Exactly the opposite of you, with lots of pink, stuffed animals, knick-knacks, and frilly stuff."

Ami said, "Let's attack this project in a logical fashion. What you mostly need is more storage units. You have plenty of floor space. If you moved Mamoru's small dresser into the closet and put in one of those closet organizer units, then you could buy a large dresser, a wardrobe, and a vanity with a mirror to take care of the bedroom. The 

study is mostly just piled with sports equipment. You need something to put that in that doesn't look stupid if you put it in the living room."

Makoto said, "Ami, I think you may be a natural at this. Take a look at the sketches I've done." Usagi and Naru crowded around as well. Makoto's sketches had most of the same ideas as Ami.

Usagi came up with an idea herself, "We could get some of those large chests like toy chests and put them out on the balcony for his sports junk. If we got patio furniture cushions to put on top you could sit on them. And he needs to get some plants again. When he was going to go to school at Harvard he gave them all away and hasn't gotten more."

"You don't need curtains or anything like that, but these rooms are pretty dull. Why don't you get some matching pillow covers and a quilt for the bedroom? You could pick up the same colors in the living room with new floor pillows to sit on around the table, some throw pillows for the couch, and maybe a couple of matching area rugs," continued Makoto.

"What about the baby room?" asked Naru.

Usagi answered, "Let's think about that some other day. There's plenty of time. Mamoru said he wanted to go with me to pick out those things."

"Well I guess that might be nice. They are his kids after all too. And all this stuff is going on his credit card," teased Naru.

The girls picked out some fabric samples with a couple of abstract patterns and a couple of floral patterns. Usagi liked a floral in pinks, reds, and greens with roses and cherry blossoms. They decided to leave these out for Mamoru to look at as well. Ami smirked, "I guess you don't want to let him totally off the hook for this project. So far it's been 'girls only'. I'll bet you can guess which one he'd pick."

"That's a no-brainer!" laughed Makoto.

"Okay. You're on. If he doesn't guess that pattern, you cook Sunday dinner for us for a month. Otherwise, we'll take you and Kenji out to dinner at La Tour D'Argent." Usagi had been wanting to try the expensive French restaurant. This was one bet she couldn't 'lose'.

Usagi was flipping through the catalog of children's furnishings. She smiled evilly, "I'm going to have some fun with him when he gets home. Just look at these sample rooms. They're perfect."

Luna wandered into the living room, finally awake from her 'nap'. "Isn't anyone going to feed me. I'm hungry."

Usagi looked up interestedly, "I'm starved too. Let's fix dinner."

Makoto said, "I have a new recipe I want to try if you have the ingredients."

"Great!" chimed in Usagi and Ami at the same time. Ami added for Naru's benefit, "Makoto comes up with the most wonderful dishes. You're in for a treat. I know you haven't had as many chances to sample her cooking as Usagi."

Usagi and Naru baked some brownies for dessert while Makoto fixed the main course. Usagi had already finished off the brownies she had baked only two evenings before. Makoto stir-fried a spicy chicken dish with vegetables and noodles. The girls ate until they were stuffed, except for Usagi. "I guess we should leave some for Mamoru to eat when he gets home. He didn't have time to eat dinner before he went to work," Usagi added guiltily.

On cue, they heard the apartment door opening. "Lucy, I'm home," Mamoru gave a fair imitation of the old TV show with a Japanese accent instead of the Cuban accent. Ami giggled. Usagi's eyes gleamed as she picked up a catalog and walked over to Mamoru.

"Oh, Mamoru, come look at what we've ordered. They will be shipping it in two weeks," she lied as she showed him two room layouts. The first was actually a little girl's room all done in frilly pink with white and gold French Provencal furniture and a four poster canopy bed. The living room had everything done in rustic country patchwork and striped mattress cover patterned furniture. Every surface was covered with knick-knacks and stuffed rabbits, ducks, and chickens dressed in farmers overalls and hats or calico or gingham dresses and sun bonnets.

"Yuck! That's horrible! You didn't really order it?" he shouted.

"Uh-huh. It was on sale so there are no returns allowed," said Makoto.

Mamoru stared at the girls angrily and actually swore at them "Sh-t! Why the f--k did you order that crap!"

Naru cracked first. She doubled over laughing. "You were right, Usagi. He is cute when he gets mad!"

Mamoru growled, "All right, what have you really been up to?"

Usagi showed him Makoto's sketches, the furniture ideas, and the fabric samples. Of course, he picked the one with the roses. "You're so predictable," she laughed. "You win the bet Makoto," she acknowledged. She told Mamoru the conditions of the bet.

"Sounds okay to me. Let's go a couple of weeks from now," he told Makoto.

The girls took their leave and Usagi sat down in the kitchen to eat dinner again with Mamoru. "We didn't get around to doing baby stuff. I want to paint that room yellow. It's a happy color," Usagi told Mamoru.

"Umph. Okay," mumbled Mamoru as his mouth was still stuffed with food. He idly flipped through the children's catalog. "What about this?" he asked Usagi. He pointed to a picture with white baby furniture. The bedding was navy with gold stars, suns, and moons with smiling faces.

"It's cute," commented Usagi. "Why not? Makoto can order the stuff we've picked out with her cooking school discount. They have interior design classes, so all the students get those discounts too." So what could have been an onerous project for Usagi and Mamoru by themselves, was accomplished in one evening with the help of their friends.

Later that evening, Usagi was curled up on the bed with a new manga she had snagged from a pile in Rei's room the last time she was at the temple. Mamoru came in carrying a plate full of brownies and a bottle of chocolate syrup. Usagi looked up curiously. "Are you still hungry? And what are you going to do with that syrup?"

His eyes glowed with mischief and he smirked as he stalked over towards her, "I'm always hungry…for some things."

~*~*~*

  



	8. Chapter 8

Minako looked down at the intramural track and field meet from the bleachers where Makoto, Ami, and she had been arguing over who was the cutest new pop star. "Hey, it's Usagi's race already. Look she's really close to the leader." All three girls watched to see how the race would play out.

Usagi sprinted toward the finish. The other members of her relay team cheered her on. It was the last leg of the relay race. She was closing on the leader with 100 meters to go. The girls closest to her lane could see her fading; her face was bright red, breathing ragged, heart rate racing way over target zone. She started weaving, still trying to make it toward the finish. Usagi stumbled, and collapsed to the ground in a dead faint, only 20 meters from the finish line. Coach Miyako and the other team members ran over to check on her. Her skin was hot and her pulse was racing, her breathing fast and shallow. She was unconscious and the coach couldn't seem to revive her. The coach flagged down the nurse to come over and take a look at Usagi.

"She's badly over-heated and we need to get her cooled off as quickly as possible," the nurse announced.

Ami, Minako, and Makoto approached at a dead run close to the speed they might have when transformed. Ami pulled the nurse aside, "I don't know if you know this, but it may be important to her condition. Usagi is about three and a half months pregnant with twins."

"This could be really bad. I'm going to have her transported to the medical center for treatment. Coach, hail the ambulance crew over on the sideline to come get her. You girls, soak this blanket in ice water from the jug on the bench and wrap it around Usagi," the nurse quickly ordered. The ambulance crew arrived and loaded her on the stretcher and left for the hospital.

Ami hung up after talking to her mother. "Mom is going to call Usagi's doctor; I couldn't remember who it was. Did either of you call Mamoru?"

"I left a message on their apartment phone and his cell phone. He didn't answer on the communicator either," replied Minako.

"Let's go over to the clinic and see how she is doing. I called Rei and she is going to meet us there," said Makoto. The three girls grabbed their stuff, piled into the waiting taxi and were soon on their way.

After arriving at the emergency clinic at the hospital, Ami and the other girls tried to check on Usagi's condition. As they were not relatives, no one would give them any information on her status. "I'll page my Mom; she can make them talk to her since she has staff privileges at this hospital," decided Ami.

Ami sat down next to Minako in the waiting room. Makoto paced the floor restlessly, smacking a fist against the palm of her other hand. Minako flipped through the ancient dog-eared magazines the table next to her chair. Ami fretted and muttered quietly to herself.

Rei arrived in a flurry. "What has that Idiot Meatball Head done now?" demanded Rei as she approached the other senshi.

Ami quickly recapped the competition, Usagi's collapse, and ambulance ride to the hospital. Degenerating into self-blame, "I told her I didn't think she should be competing, that it was too hot."

Rei joined Makoto in her pacing circuit around the waiting room and up and down the hall to the emergency entrance. As they made the turn at the outside door to go back to the waiting room, Usagi's mother, brother, and father entered the building. "The school called and said the ambulance took Usagi to the hospital. What happened? Where is she? How is she?" asked Ikuko frantically when she saw the two girls.

"We don't know anything. They won't give us any information and Amy's mom hasn't come out to tell us anything," complained Rei in answer. "She's in the emergency room. We'll show you the way there. Maybe they will tell you something."

Shortly after Kenji inquired about Usagi at the admitting desk, one of the ER physicians on shift came out to talk to her family. "We've stabilized her temperature; she's been soaking in a cold bath to bring it down. She is still unconscious though and we don't know how long it will be before she comes to. It was a lucky thing, they thought to start cooling her off on the way here. It could have been serious otherwise," he said.

"Will she be all right then?" asked Shingo.

"We'll just have to wait and see how she comes out of it. Her obstetrician should examine her as well; she has been called and will be over shortly. Usagi will need to stay overnight at least for observation," he answered. "Well I have to get back to work. We'll keep you posted," the doctor added as he turned and left.

The crowd of friends and family settled glumly in the corner of the waiting room. Shingo looked around and asked, "Where's Mamoru?"

Minako looked up guiltily, "Uh-oh, guys. I forgot I was supposed to tell you something. We were supposed to meet Mamoru over at the Crown arcade at 4 o'clock."

Rei and Makoto looked at her angrily. Rei was about to start in on her, when she noticed Usagi's family watching with interest. She sat back down. Ami sighed, "Oh, Minako. If it's not Usagi, it's you. I wonder if he is still over there waiting?"

~*~*~*

Meanwhile, over at the Crown Arcade, a restless, agitated man waited for his wife and her friends to arrive. He flung aside the textbook he had been trying to study, got up from his booth, and went over to the counter where his friend Motoki was filling salt and pepper shakers. "Where are they? They were supposed to meet me here over an hour ago. Something is wrong. I can feel it. And my stupid cell phone is out so I can't even check for messages," Mamoru complained.

"I thought they were going to be at the track meet at school," said Motoki. "It's an intramural thing where the classes compete against each other in different track and field events."

"Usagi didn't say anything about it this morning when I asked her to meet me here at four P.M.," replied Mamoru.

"She probably thought it would be over by then. Maybe it's just running late," guessed Motoki.

"No, Usagi's not at the school. She's somewhere the other direction toward downtown, and something is wrong," said Mamoru, trying to use his alter ego's senses to locate her.

"Whatever. You're not psychic like Rei are you? She gives me the willies sometimes, reading minds and predicting the future," asked Motoki suspiciously.

"I guess it's something like that, except it's just about Usagi. I can usually tell where she is and if she's okay or not. And we can project thoughts to each other if we really try," Mamoru admitted absently.

"Sheesh, am I the only "normal" one around here? Rei, Uwara, and now you too. Hey, can you predict stuff too – like winning lottery numbers or sports winners?" asked Motoki with a greedy gleam in his eye.

"No, nothing like that. I sometimes dream true about the future but it's usually only bad stuff. Like what I get right now, there's something bad happening!" Mamoru exclaimed.

The phone behind the counter rang and Motoki answered it. "Yeah, he's here. Do you want to talk to him?" Motoki replied to the person on the other end of the line. He passed the phone to Mamoru. "It's Mrs. Tsukino."

As Mamoru listened silently, the color drained from his face. "Okay. I'll be over there in just a few minutes." He looked up at Motoki, "Usagi's in the hospital. She collapsed during the track meet at the school and she hasn't woken up yet. I'm going over there now. I'll let you know what happens."

"Hey, I'm really sorry. Let me know if I can do anything," said Motoki as Mamoru grabbed his stuff and left.

Mamoru opened the stowage compartment on his motorcycle to stuff in his books and take out his leather jacket. He heard a beeping noise coming from his jacket pocket. "So that's where I left that damn communicator," he said to himself. It was flashing with the earlier message from Minako to meet them at the hospital.

Mamoru wove his bike in and out of the traffic, jumping lights and taking corners at excess speed. He was making good time and had almost reached the hospital when he heard a siren and saw flashing lights behind him in his rear view mirror. Of course, it would be today of all days that they would stake out this route. He debated stopping or trying to evade the police car following closely behind him. I'm almost there; I'll stop in front of the emergency room, he rationalized. So he pulled up his bike at the ambulance entrance, angry police escort in tow.

Mamoru dismounted and kept his hands in plain view. The policeman shouted at him as he got out of his car and approached, "Hold it right there. What kind of stunt are you trying to pull?"

"Sorry about the bad driving, Officer. I just got call to come to the emergency room; my wife had an accident and is in a coma," explained Mamoru.

"Well with that kind of driving, you're lucky they didn't haul you there in the meat wagon. I was going to take you downtown. I guess I'll just give you a ticket for reckless driving. I can understand the circumstances. Take it and get in the hospital. I don't ever want to see that kind of riding again," admonished the officer.

Mamoru crumpled up the ticket and stuffed it in his pocket without looking at it. He hurried down the corridor to the admitting desk. He saw the Tsukino's and the senshi in the corner of the waiting room. "Where is she? What more do they say?" he asked as he crossed the room to where they all were waiting.

"They're moving her to a room and keeping her overnight at least. She still hasn't woken up," explained Ami as she wiped away a tear.

Mamoru went up to the admitting clerk, "I'm going in with my wife. I'll be waiting there to talk to the doc on shift."

She looked at him closely and said, "Don't I know you?"

"Probably. I'm in the third year class and we're over here for clinical labs pretty often. I work second shift on Thursday as a Paramedic II on ambulance runs too," he replied as he fished out his employee identification.

"No problem. Go on back. You can escort the others to see her one at a time if you want a little later," she told him.

As he approached the curtained off exam room, he closed his eyes and swallowed nervously. "Oh Usagi, what have you done to yourself?" he whispered as he slipped in beside the table where she lay.

~*~*~*

 


	9. Chapter 9

"She's been moved to a single room up on the third floor and is resting comfortably. At least that's how they say it; she's still out," reported Dr. Mizuno, Ami's mother. "You can all go up for a few minutes, but then you'll need to go on home," she told the senshi.

After they all had a look at Usagi and saw no visible changes, the senshi departed. Mamoru and the Tsukino's remained behind. "I wonder what they did with my bike; I left it out front at the emergency entrance," Mamoru remembered. Usagi's parents kept vigil while Shingo and Mamoru went to look for the misplaced motorcycle.

The security guard had a good laugh when they asked about it. "If you weren't an employee, it would have been impounded and taken to a district police lot. They moved it over to the hourly V.I.P. visitors lot, that's 1000 yen per hour you know and you can't get it back until morning. You lose parking privileges for three months except at the remote lot about a kilometer over there." He grinned like a shark, "We have these policies to discourage illegal employee parking you know."

Back in Usagi's room, Shingo and her parents were preparing to leave. Mamoru said, "I'm staying. I'll call you if it's not too late when she wakes up."

The floor was quiet now. Evening visiting hours were over. Medication rounds were finished. Room and hall lights were dimmed as the hospital settled into the night shift routine.

Mamoru set aside the immunology textbook he had been trying to study. He flipped through the channels on the TV; nothing was on. He considered Usagi's condition; he sensed no danger around her. It felt as if she was simply asleep. He wandered out to the nurses' station to see if he could bum some coffee. The vending machine brew was a vile chemical cocktail.

A couple of cups of coffee and an earful of hospital gossip later, he returned to Usagi's room. Boredom, fatigue, and depletion of the adrenalin high, finally left him sleepy. He dragged the most comfortable chair next to the head of the bed, retrieved an extra pillow from the closet, and propped himself against the side of her bed. Usagi was curled on her side, one hand tucked under her cheek, and the other curled beneath her chin. Mamoru folded his own larger hand around her smaller one. It would be the last thing he remembered doing before sleep took him.

Usagi awoke in the middle of the night freezing. A chill wind was blowing on her bare legs and back and she was lying against cold metal. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a strange bare room smelling of disinfectant and dressed in a gown tied down the back with gaps between the ties. It had to be the hospital.

Mamoru was curled asleep in a chair next to her bed, his arms tightly wrapped around a large wad of pillows and bedding. Her stolen pillows and blankets. Usagi crawled up to the top of the bed and peered at Mamoru. He was mumbling about his princess. She poked his nose once, twice, thrice, before his eyes opened. "Her Highness commands yon thieving knave to return her pillows and blanket," she teased him.

"Usagi, you're awake!" he exclaimed and swooped in to hug her close. "I was so worried about you. Everyone's been worried about you," he told her as he planted kisses up and down her face.

"All I remember is the race and then I woke up here," she said.

"You passed out from getting too hot. Why were you running in a race anyway? Don't you know you shouldn't have done that?" he chided her.

"I do now. They needed someone fast for the relay," she explained.

"Didn't your doctor give you instructions for your coach about P.E.? She shouldn't have let you do that," he questioned.

"I never gave it to her. I wanted to stay in the same class as all my friends and not be transferred to the class for the disabled kids," she admitted.

"Rei was right," he stated flatly. "You are an 'Idiot Meatball-Head'. If you EVER do something that stupid again, you will live to regret it, if you live," he said in his most intimidating Tuxedo Mask voice.

She angrily responded, "Threaten me and you're moon dust!"

Mamoru folded her in his arms and held her tightly, "Oh, Bunny, you could have died or miscarried and I wouldn't even be able to do anything about it! Please don't scare me that way again. I love you. I want you ALIVE and WELL."

"I'll try. I love you too," she whispered. "But I still want my pillows and blanket back," she said more loudly. "Curl up here with me so I can go back to sleep. You can block the cold draft on the back of this stupid gown," she ordered as she showed him the gaps on the back.

The nurse checking patient status before the doctors' early morning rounds found them still nestled together sharing the blanket and pillows. She shook Mamoru, "Check out time for this hotel."

He opened his eyes sleepily and exclaimed, "She woke up during the night and we talked. She sounded fine."

"Well she can talk to her obstetrician then when she checks on Usagi later this morning."

After morning rounds and Mamoru had cleaned up a bit, he called the Tsukino's and the senshi to tell them the good news. "The doctor confirmed that her condition was good and ordered her release. She said Usagi should skip school today and rest at home and have someone there with her in case any complications turn up." Usagi's mom offered to let her spend the day at her parent's house. She said that she would be home all day and that he should go on to class and work after dropping off Usagi.

Mamoru paced up and down the office hallway. He wasn't accomplishing anything and hadn't done a line of code in the last hour. He heard a beeping sound coming from the jacket hung on his chair. Ami broadcasted an alert. "A youma is chasing people at Ueno Park near the zoo. I need you all to come."

All the team (except Usagi) arrived on the scene. What appeared to be a much larger-than-life purple rhinoceros was charging people and terrorizing a group of people near the zoo fence. The ordinary rhinos in the pen nearby were bellowing frantically. Minako speculated, "I wonder if it escaped from the zoo? Nothing has really happened for at least three weeks this time."

Rei answered sarcastically, "Yeah, I saw in the newspaper that there was a new exhibit with giant purple rhinos and pink giraffes. Venus, engage your brain before your mouth for once."

Mercury took readings with her computer. "We'll need a coordinated attack for it to have any effect. I'll fog the area to confuse it. Venus use your chain attack to catch it. Jupiter zap it. Rei and Tux stay in reserve."

Mercury bubbles blast!

Venus love chain encircle!

Jupiter thunder crash!

Rei looked at Mamoru, tapping her foot, arms crossed. "It's not working. Are we just supposed to stand around here?"

The youma broke away and galloped towards the crowd trapped against the zoo fence. Tuxedo Mask threw roses to distract it. They bounced off. The rhino turned around and started chasing him as he ran back towards the senshi. Mercury called out, "Use your cape like a toreador."

As Mamoru frantically played bullfighter and Mercury looked for a new attack on her computer, Mars got mad. "Mars fire ignite!" she shouted in rage, as her flame thrower attack enveloped the youma.

As the fog and smoke cleared, Venus ran toward the youma. Instead of a pile of dust, there was a charred and blackened very dead baby rhinoceros. "Mars, you killed it!" she wailed.

"Well that's the general idea!" Rei yelled back. It was just a baby, she thought guiltily.

Makoto and Mamoru came over and Makoto added, "But it was doing a lot of damage and would have killed those people over there. You did what you had to do." Makoto had a thoughtful expression, "Rei, Mamoru, do you remember those big guys we fought about three or four months ago? This reminds me of them for some reason."

Mamoru absent mindedly added in, "Yeah, that was the same night that Usagi got preg-, uhm, first slept with me. . . . Uh, never mind," he trailed off as he reddened.

Minako and Rei laughed. Rei commented, "I think we get the idea on the timing, Cape Boy."

Ami arrived entering notes on the battle into her computer, "I show a 73% probability of a positive correlation between these two occurrences based upon the currently available data."

Minako added, "Yeah, it's like really weird about both attacks. They were something really big and bad and then they morphed back to something normal."

Ami looked up, "But that's what I just said.

~*~*~*

Tuxedo Mask flitted silently through the shadows as he neared the Tsukino house. Thinking, "I'm sure glad that the subway was still running; it saved me one long trip across town. I must be out of shape for this stuff. I'm really tired." He climbed up the tree in the Tsukino yard and perched on the ledge as he quietly knocked on the window of Usagi's old room.

Usagi looked up from the manga she was reading as she lay sprawled across the bed. She ran over, opened the window, and struck a theatrical pose. "Who is this strange man entering my room? Shall I call my husband or father to protect me? No, this fair maiden does not fear the intruder. She will summon Sailor Moon, the champion of love and justice."

Usagi picked up her broach and chanted her lines. Tuxedo Mask sat down on her bookshelf to enjoy the show. His favorite part was where her clothes melted and the ribbons twirled, of course. Sailor Moon stopped in her trademark stance and smiled at him invitingly.

He suddenly remembered her close call the previous day and asked, "Are you sure you're okay? Should you even be transforming?"

Sailor Moon bounced over to him, "I feel great! I just ate half a chocolate cake and drank three cups of cocoa." He shuddered at the thought of her high on sugar and caffeine both.

Sailor Moon grabbed Tuxedo Mask, picked him up, and tossed him on the bed. "I am Sailor Moon, the Champion of Love and Justice. I will punish all evil doers and this means you!" she recited as she dove on top of him. Tuxedo Mask, being a sensible man, did the logical thing and immediately surrendered.

As Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask rolled about enjoying one another's company, a sneaky little brother listened to the strange noises and speeches coming from his sister's room. His equipment was still ready from previous forays conducted while his sister still lived at home. Instant camera and tape recorder in hand, he silently approached her door and opened it. His jaw dropped at the strange sight before him.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were locked in passionate embrace on his sister's bed. Sailor Moon lay beneath Tuxedo Mask with her golden pigtails fanned out to the sides like wings. Her arms and legs were wrapped tightly around him as he kissed her throat and the exposed skin on her shoulders where her fuku was pushed down.

Snap, snap, snap. At least one shot should come out good, thought Shingo as he closed the door. After hiding his equipment and two of the photos, he ran downstairs into the den. "Mom, look at this! You won't believe it! Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are making out up in Usagi's room." He waved the darkening photo in front of her.

Ikuko took the photo and looked at it. There were two people dressed as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask "making out" as he had said. "Shingo, this is your sister and Mamoru. Leave them alone! You're invading their privacy and spying on them. And don't show this to your dad when he gets home. Go to your room now!"

Ikuko looked at the photo again before hiding it in the pile of magazines she was reading. Their costumes were really good; she wondered where they bought them.

Shingo messed around in his room for a while before deciding to take some more photos, just in case his mom was wrong about their identities. For the second time, he snuck over to Usagi's room and looked inside. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were still there doing pretty much the same thing. Yuck. Their clothes were scattered all over the room, except for her tiara and his mask, which were still in place. As they were mostly covered with the blankets, he couldn't see too much of the couple moving rhythmically together. Those did look like Usagi's pigtails though. He took some more photos just in case. They never noticed me; he laughed to himself. These pictures should come in handy for something.

Early in the morning, Shingo snuck over to Usagi's door for the third time and looked in. It was Usagi and Mamoru asleep in the bed. He didn't see any costumes and only ordinary clothing was thrown on the floor. Rats.


	10. Chapter 10

Even though it was still too early to get ready for school, Shingo didn't feel like going back to sleep. "I should have gotten a piece of their costumes for a sample. Now there's nothing but their regular clothes in there. How did they change or where did the other stuff go," he wondered.

From the foot of the stairs, Ikuko called, "Shingo, Usagi, it's time to get up. Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes."

Usagi never even heard the wakeup call; she could sleep through anything. Mamoru was a lighter sleeper. The part about breakfast registered in his sleep-fogged brain. There should be just enough time for a shower, he thought as he kicked through the pile of clothes on the floor looking for his shorts.

Shingo heard footfalls go past his door and the sound of the bathroom door closing. He peeked out in the hallway; the coast was clear. Shingo stealthily entered Usagi's room. Good, she was still asleep. He could get a 'sample' and be out of there before Mamoru got back. He looked around to see what there was to choose from: Usagi's bra, panties, white shorts, and pink tee shirt, or Mamoru's black jeans, white polo shirt, or that green jacket. No way he was gonna touch her underwear. He grabbed the two shirts off the pile and hurried back to his room. He hid them in his best secret hiding place. Maybe he could get Usagi's friend Umino to help him analyze this stuff.

Shingo wolfed down his breakfast and hurried back to his room to change for school. He wanted to be gone before those two came out.

Mamoru heard the outside door slam as he finally came out of the bathroom. He really enjoyed a nice hot shower the morning after a battle to work out any residual stiffness. At his apartment he could stay in there for hours. The Tsukino house must have a really small hot water heater; the hot water set on high had barely lasted 15 minutes. Mamoru slipped on his jeans but was unsuccessful at finding his shirt. Maybe he could borrow one from Ikuko. Wandering around town in a jacket without a shirt like some rock star wannabe did not appeal to the conservative Chiba.

Usagi was rudely awakened from her dreams of cocoa lakes and chocolate cake mountains covered with ice cream. She was dragged from her warm blankets and deposited on her feet. It was only mitigated by the warm clean-scented man-flesh plastered against her front. The kisses to her face and the sensitive places around her ear and neck and the hands roaming and caressing her backside didn't hurt either. "Good morning, my lovely Meatball Head. Your mom called you for breakfast about 15 minutes ago. Why don't you get cleaned up, dressed, and go on down."

Mamoru pulled the towels off his shoulder and draped them over Usagi. She turned and headed down the hall toward the now vacant bath. Mamoru made Usagi's messy bed and picked up her clothes off the floor, folding them neatly on the bed. He searched the room again for his missing shirt and noted that hers had also vanished. Hungry and determined to at least get a little food before Usagi ate everything in sight, he headed downstairs.

"Oh, there you are Usa-," said Ikuko, stopping as she looked up and saw who was actually entering the kitchen. "I forgot you were here. Come to think of it, I don't remember hearing you come in last night."

He grinned and quipped, "Usagi let me in her alternate route."

"You mean up the tree and sneaking back in the window, when she wasn't supposed to be out," she retorted.

"You got it. What's for breakfast? Something smells great," Mamoru turned pleading eyes on Usagi's mom.

Pausing to look him up and down a bit longer than strictly necessary, Ikuko's eyes twinkled and she suppressed a giggle, "We generally dress for meals in this house."

Mamoru turned on the lazy smile that was something of a trademark from his days of photo shoots, "My shirt seems to have disappeared between the time I got up this morning and when I got back to Usagi's room after taking a shower. Can I borrow a tee shirt or something?"

They were interrupted by a loud wail from above, "Mom, there's no hot water! I wanted to wash my hair!"

"Oops," smirked Mamoru.

Ikuko dished him a plate of waffles, eggs, and bacon, "Here, you had better take some while there is still food left."

Another screech come from above, "Mom, somebody stole my top!"

Ikuko sighed and went up to her room to find something for Usagi and Mamoru to wear. Usagi clomped down the stairs followed more quietly by her mother. "Food! I'm starved." she announced as she piled her plate high. She gave Mamoru a dirty look, "Shut-up."

"But I didn't say anything!" he protested with his best innocent expression.

"Yeah, but you thought it," she snapped back. Usagi proceeded to shovel the food into her mouth at a speed remarkable even for her.

Ikuko laughed, "You're even eating eggs again. I thought they made you sick."

"Not any more, I guess. Can I have some more?" Usagi asked as she held out her plate for a refill. "Mom, did you put my shirt somewhere?" she asked.

"No, Mamoru said his shirt was missing this morning too," Ikuko answered.

"Shingo, that brat! He's playing some kind of stupid game," she complained.

"Well he's already gone to school. You'll have to ask him about it later," said Ikuko. She got up and retrieved the incriminating photo from the den that Shingo had given her the night before. "I wonder if the little game he seems to be playing has anything to do with this photo he took last night." Ikuko tried to hide her smile as she handed the photo to Usagi and quickly covered her ears.

An ear piercing shriek rang out as expected, shattering the relative quiet. Mamoru winced and covered his ears reflexively. "Damn it, Usagi! I'd like to keep at least some of my hearing."

Usagi had turned bright red. "Shingo is so dead. Mamoru, look at what that maggot did," she said as she showed him the photo.

"Hum, embarrassing. He takes a good picture though," said Mamoru trying not to laugh at Usagi's murderous expression. "I hope you didn't show this to Kenji," he added with a sly look at Ikuko.

"No, he's not back yet from his trip and I prefer to keep this a peaceful household. You two can keep it. He doesn't need to know about your private fantasies. Keep those to yourselves please. By the way, where ever did you get those costumes anyway? Shingo came running down here last night convinced that Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask were actually "making out" in Usagi's bedroom."

Usagi and Mamoru exchanged an embarrassed glance. Mamoru raised an eyebrow at Usagi's nod. "We're going to need her help after the babies are born. What else would we do if we were both called out? And she needs to know if something should happen."

"Mom, I don't know quite how to say this. Those aren't exactly costumes," Usagi began. "Show her," she directed Mamoru.

With a smile and a flourish, he materialized a rose out of the air. In an easy motion he lightly tossed the rose to Ikuko and transformed. "Tuxedo Mask, at your service 'Mom'". Gesturing toward Usagi he added, "And may I present Sailor Moon."

Ikuko stared silently. She got up and circled around Tuxedo Mask, looking him over carefully. As she passed behind him she lifted up the bottom of his cape and began playing with it absently. He turned slightly trying to keep her in view. Ikuko brought the photo up and looked at it closely and then at Mamoru. He looked imploringly at Usagi. "Talk to her or something and get her to stop. Your mom's checking out my butt! And she was flirting with me this morning before you came down," he complained nervously.

Usagi only shrugged and giggled, "I guess she's got good taste then."

Ikuko regarded Usagi, "All those times you were so tired you could hardly get out of bed to go to school. All the cuts, scrapes, and bruises you said you got from falling. It fits. Well, aren't you going to change too?"

Usagi replied, "I really shouldn't; I'm too tired. It takes a lot of energy to transform. It might even be dangerous while I'm pregnant if my energy is drained. Last night I had so much extra energy from all that chocolate I needed to burn it off."

Tuxedo Mask smirked, "She sure did!"

"That's enough. Don't start. I think 'Cape Boy' needs to power down so we can go home. Thanks for breakfast."

Mamoru commented, "I don't think I need to say that this needs to stay quiet."

"Yeah, especially don't tell that rotten little brother of mine, or it will be all over town," Usagi added.

"I'm not even sure I'll tell your father. You know how he worries and gets spun up over every little thing. This would be off the charts where he's concerned," Ikuko replied.

~*~*~*

When Usagi came home from school one afternoon, Mamoru was staring at the computer. There were receipts and crumpled up papers scattered on the floor around him. "We need to improve our cash flow," he announced.

"What?" asked Usagi.

"We're spending more money than I'm making," he replied.

"But I haven't been spending THAT much," she protested.

Mamoru sighed and flopped down on the bed. Putting his hands under his head, he stared at the ceiling. "It's not that. My investments aren't paying as many dividends now and I didn't spend all that much when I was by myself. It just costs more for two of us and soon there will be four. I'm already working as many hours as I can with school."

"Do you want me to get a job instead of go to school?" Usagi asked.

"No, you need to finish school. You shouldn't even have to think of working in your condition anyway," he replied.

"I hate the idea of going back into 'show business', but we need the money." Seeming to change the subject, "Your American 'admirer' from Hawaii called."

"What?" she asked as a puzzled frown formed on her face.

"That guy who thought you should be in commercials called me this morning. I made up a bio for you, scanned in some photos, threw together a portfolio and e-mailed it to their company. They want 'Rapunzel to let down her hair'."

"Mamoru, just say what you mean and quit trying to tease me," Usagi snapped. He was being so irritating.

"They want you to do the Rapunzel fairy tale shampoo commercial. Me too," he grinned.

Usagi squealed, "I get to be on TV!"

Mamoru cautioned, "It's not all that much fun. It's hard work. You know how we get mobbed in senshi form when the crowds see us. If it gets popular, we'll have to put up with that all the time. The nosey press and people stalking you to take pictures all the time."

~*~*~*

All the girls (and Umino) gathered outside the school under the trees at lunch. "Oh Minako, it was so much fun. I loved having them do my hair and makeup and all the photos. The dress I wore was a long pink satin princess gown with lots of trim and jewels.

All Mr. Stick in the Mud did was complain. 'Too many takes. I hate wearing tights.' Whine, whine, whine. One thing was funny. He kept trying to pull down his tunic and saying it was too short. He said it was like a ballet costume and then pretended to be a ballerina and danced around the set on his toes. He can be such a clown sometimes, but you'd never know it from the way he acts most of the time. He didn't know it, but the camera guy got the whole thing on film. He likes to do bloopers and funny outtakes and said he'd do a tape for me." Usagi told everyone about the commercial she and Mamoru had filmed that Saturday.

"You'll have to show that a party sometime. Don't tell Mamoru and spoil the surprise," Makoto remarked.

~*~*~*

"Usagi, they want us to do another commercial. The people who screen the rough cuts liked what we did on the last one. The shoot will be next weekend. They're going to use them both during the sumo championships on TV. That will get us lots of exposure. The next one will be even more money than the first one," gloated Mamoru.

What Mamoru didn't add though was the KIND of commercial they would be doing.

~*~*~*


	11. Chapter 11

Usagi heard a knock on the door, followed by the doorbell. Makoto and Usagi were putting away groceries and setting up for a senshi "cooking lesson". If she was right that should be Minako, Rei, and Ami.

Rei pounced immediately commenting, "Meatball Head, you don't look nearly as beat up as Mamoru did." It was her first chance to razz her friend in person since Motoki had spread Mamoru's story to the girls on Sunday a couple of weeks before. Usagi feigned a yawn; she had already been through this with the other girls at school, with Naru and Umino thrown in as well.

"Old news, Rei. Minako beat you to it," she replied in a bored tone. "But I think you might be interested in watching what I have to show you later after dinner," she added as she went back into the kitchen.

The girls worked companionably under Makoto's watchful eye, punctuated by periodic exchanges of insults between Usagi and Rei. Minako looked over the food being prepared, vegetable sushi, smoked salmon rolls, fish stew, shrimp and vegetable tempura, plenty of rice and noodles of various kinds, and an array of sweets for dessert. "Why are we fixing so much, Makoto?"

"I had to tell Shinozaki that he could come over and be a test subject, cause he wouldn't stop begging," laughed Makoto. He probably told the other guys too; you know how they run in a pack. And can you see them ever passing up free food?"

The doorbell rang again and Usagi ran towards the door as she wiped the dough from the spring rolls she was making off her hands onto her shirt. "That's probably them now," she said as she opened the door and stared. "Motoki, I wasn't expecting you. What are you doing here? Mamoru's not home yet."

"I brought by this book he left at the Crown this afternoon. He was showing me some references I could use for my abnormal psychology class paper. Aren't you going to invite me to eat; I mean inside?" he asked.

"Sure you can stay. We're expecting Shinozaki and maybe some of the other guys anyway," she told him.

"What should I do?" Motoki asked the chef in charge.

"Go help Usagi put the food out on the coffee table and set up some more tables and cushions," Makoto told him.

Motoki followed Usagi into the study turned nursery. She pointed to a stack of nested tables and folding trays in the corner. He looked around at the redone room. "It looks - uh, cute. The stuff you ordered finally got here." He looked at her oddly.

"What?" she asked suspiciously.

"You sure are starting to show a lot. It seems weird that you two are going to have kids already," Motoki commented moving quickly toward the door with his stack of tables.

"Gee, thanks. I guess you've been taking lessons in tact from Mamoru along with abnormal psychology," she responded sarcastically.

"Well I shouldn't have been surprised about you getting pregnant. I mean, you were always all over him all the time," Motoki added spitefully.

"YOU JERK!" Usagi screeched, dropped her pile of cushions, and began hitting Motoki with the cushion in her hand.

Minako watched the scene in disbelief. That remark was so unlike Motoki, and he had no reason to be angry with Usagi. "I can't believe you said that Motoki," she added as she joined Usagi in beating him with another pillow.

Makoto grinned, "Hey, that looks like fun!"

As Makoto moved toward the corner where Minako and Usagi were chastising Motoki, the door flew open. Uwara and Shinozaki staggered in carrying a large keg between them. Yuuichirou shut the door and commented, "Whoa dudes, a pillow fight. I thought the party was over when Shinozaki dragged me and Uwara out of the bar." He grinned happily and picked up a cushion. But he was stopped short when a small fist grabbed his shirt tail and pulled him backwards.

"You're drunk!" yelled an irate Rei.

"Naw, I just had a couple with my buddy Uwara," he tried to explain. Shinozaki broke up our party, so I thought I'd bring it with me," he said pointing to the keg.

Uwara was backing away from the frosty glare turned on him by the highly irritated Ami. "I didn't have any beer. I was just drinking coke," he protested.

Shinozaki meanwhile had escaped to the kitchen and was checking out the food. He was the only one who heard the apartment door open as the owner quietly arrived home a little after nine o'clock. Filling a couple of glasses from the keg, he sauntered over to Mamoru and handed him a beer. "Hey man, great party."

Mamoru raised one eyebrow as he looked around the bedlam in his apartment. "Whoever threw this party forgot to invite me," he remarked.

Usagi grew tired of beating up on Motoki. Her desire for vengeance was satisfied. She surveyed the chaos and saw the keg on the kitchen counter. "Yuuichirou, Shinozaki, Uwara, who told you guys you could bring that beer," she yelled angrily. Spotting Mamoru drinking with Shinozaki, she rounded on him as well, "You're encouraging them. This was supposed to be a nice quiet dinner, not a drunken fraternity party!"

"Hey, nobody told me anything. I didn't know you girls had anything planned either. So don't blame me," Mamoru defended himself. Cracking a grin he added, "Is this any way to welcome your beloved Mamo-chan home?"

Usagi bowed elaborately. "This humble one is most sorry that worthless self did not properly welcome esteemed husband," her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness.

As she straightened, she took in the look in Mamoru's eyes: surprise, satisfaction, and pleasure. Rage replaced amusement as her expression. She snapped, "It was a joke, you baka. You're not supposed to take it seriously. And you make me sorry I ever gave you that stupid nickname."

"Oh," he responded, sounding disappointed.

Shinozaki whispered an aside to Mamoru, "Wow, is she always this bit-, grouchy?"

Motoki had emerged from cowering in his hiding place behind the chair in the corner and joined Shinozaki and Mamoru. He smirked, "I told you they get that way when they're pregnant and you didn't believe me."

Makoto decided that it was time order was reestablished. "Everybody listen up. I'm only going to say this once. Shut-up and go sit down. Or no dinner!" Adding in a lower tone, "Ami and Rei, come in the kitchen and help me pass out the plates."

Dinner proceeded smoothly, as the hungry crowd was more interested in the food than goofing around. Rei even refrained from teasing Usagi about her appetite. When serving dishes were emptied, Makoto's cooking students took turns carrying away the cleaned platters and returning with full ones. The keg steadily grew lighter as well.

Everyone was stuffed to surfeit. Yuuichirou and Shinozaki were displaying an almost lizard-like torpor. Usagi bounced up and began to clear away the dishes. Makoto and Motoki moved to assist her.

"Motoki, you don't need to do anything. You're supposed to be a guest," Mamoru reminded him.

"Well I don't see you helping the 'little woman'," Motoki answered.

"If she hears you call her that, I won't be held liable for the damage. She's already beat up on you once tonight. You're on your own. I have 'orders' from Makoto to stay out of the kitchen tonight and no way I'm gonna cross her. I've sparred with her before," responded Mamoru.

"Hey Mamoru, did you ever figure out the strategy algorithms I was using the last time I beat you at chess? You want a rematch?" Ami queried.

His competitive instincts aroused, Mamoru agreed eagerly, "You're on!" Ami and Mamoru set up a folding table in the corner near the balcony door and began to play.

As soon as the food was cleared off the dining table, Minako fished a deck of cards out of her purse. "Who's in for poker?" Yuuichirou, Rei, Shinozaki, and Uwara joined her at the table. "Dealer's choice. Five card draw. Aces high/low. Joker's wild. Ten yen minimum bid," she called to start the action.

"Motoki, Makoto and I can handle this if you want to go play cards," said Usagi.

"Naw, I'm almost broke. I can't afford to lose what little I have left for the rest of the month by playing poker with a couple of psychics. Rei and Uwara may not 'cheat' but they sure are 'lucky' a lot," Motoki replied.

"Okay, you're on dish duty. Makoto is packing up the left-overs while I dry and put things away," Usagi directed.

Clean-up complete, the kitchen crew adjourned to the living room with a couple of trays of snacks and sodas for the non-drinkers. Usagi was surprised to see both Rei and Ami drinking beer after their earlier protests.

"Aw, come on Ami. You just sacrificed a pawn; you gotta drink another beer," wheedled Mamoru. Apparently he and Ami had turned their chess match into a drinking game. There were seven empty paper cups stacked on their table.

"Mamoru, are you trying to get Ami drunk? You know she shouldn't be drinking that nasty stuff," complained Usagi as she saw what they were doing.

Mamoru gave her a silly grin, "I gotta do something to handicap her; she keeps beating me." Ami just smiled, giggled, moved a piece and said, "Check."

"Crap, see what you did by distracting me, Usagi. I'm trapped. She beat me again!" complained Mamoru.

Makoto wandered over to Usagi and elbowed her. "Did you ever get those outtakes you told us about? Let's watch them."

"Oh, yeah. They sent me a dvd with the commercials and 'all' the outtakes." Raising her voice, "Hey, everybody, grab something to sit on and come watch this." Usagi dragged out and unrolled a couple of futons in front of the big screen TV. She retrieved the dvd and set up the media system to play it.

Makoto and Shinozaki claimed one futon. The other was occupied by Rei, Motoki, and Minako. Yuuichirou tripped over a pile of cushions and pushed them around so he could sprawl out on them. Uwara, Ami, Mamoru, and Usagi crowded together on the couch.

While the girls sighed over the Rapunzel commercial, the guys mostly looked bored. Minako commented, "That was so sweet."

Usagi grinned, "Next we have a take that Scott said the tights manufacturer might want to see." She played the outtake of Mamoru in prince costume of short tunic and tights, prancing and pirouetting across the set. The camera guy had added a voice over, "And now the dance of the fairy prince."

Giggles, laughter, and howls of mirth from Motoki penetrated red-faced Mamoru's futile attempts to hide his head beneath Usagi's hair. "Aw shit, nobody told me they were filming; I was just bored and tired of standing around."

Makoto smirked, "Usagi, you have got to show this one to Haruka. I can just imagine her comments."

"I don't think so!" growled Mamoru.

Usagi interrupted, "Oh, this is just the beginning." She showed the shower commercial next. "Here's the ending for the family shows," as she switched to that track. The couple had donned towels and as Usagi turned to face the camera she was visibly pregnant. She had clasped Mamoru's hand and placed on her stomach. Her line was, "Can you feel him kicking?" This scene was followed by a shot of the couple kissing chastely.

"Oh that is too, too sweet!" gushed Minako.

"Is that all you can say?" asked Ami.

Yuuichirou grinned, "Real cute. When can we start working on our first one, Rei?"

Rei glared and tossed a cushion at him. "Maybe never if you keep acting the way you have been lately!"

Motoki looked mischievously at Mamoru and Usagi. "You guys didn't look all that hot and bothered; at least not enough to end up the way you looked the next day."

Usagi smiled evilly, "I heard about what Mamoru told you guys. What really happened was a 'little' different. There were two versions of this commercial. The next one is the late night sports show cut. What Mamoru didn't know was that the film crew told me that I was supposed to keep him 'visibly' interested." The next cut was shown accompanied by giggles and laughs elicited by Usagi's comments.

Mamoru and Usagi played a man and woman in business suits going to the gym separately. There were a few workout shots. They met up in the shower room and Mamoru borrowed Usagi's shampoo. A few cuts of them washing each other's hair and steamy shower scenes ensued. "One thing Mamoru didn't tell you was that he had to take a couple of unscheduled breaks during filming to keep from embarrassing himself messily on camera, if you know what I mean. They used the second time he called a break as the end to this commercial."

An obviously amorous Mamoru backed Usagi into the corner and embraced  
her. The film cut to the next scene. Mamoru draped a robe over Usagi and a towel around himself. The kissing resumed and Mamoru picked up Usagi and carried her to the break room door. As he kicked open the door, his towel dropped to the floor, revealing a nice shot of his rear. As he turned a quick blurred view of his prominent interest in Usagi was visible as they passed through the door. The door shut and the scene faded out.

Over the giggles and chuckles, Mamoru's outraged exclamation, "They erased my pants! They can't do that!"

"But darling, you were the one who told me yourself that it was going to be a nude scene," purred Usagi as she needled her appalled spouse.

Mamoru muttered, "Your dad's gonna really kill me this time if he ever sees this." The room erupted with laughter.

Motoki rolled back and forth between Rei and Minako making choking noises; he was laughing so hard. Tears were streaming down his face. He looked up at his tomato-red faced friend, "So what happened next, Lover Boy?"

Usagi smiled and answered, "Exactly what you might imagine." She debated whether she should tell Mamoru that the towel drop scene was an outtake, and the real shot for the broadcast ended as they reached the door. It was more fun to let him stew about it and was far less than he deserved for booking them to do a "nude" commercial.

Mamoru jumped suddenly and turned toward Ami. She was regarding him intently with a peculiar expression. She was flushed a rosy pink and was eyeing him hungrily. She had placed her hand on his leg closest to her and was walking her fingers up his thigh. Mamoru signaled Uwara frantically, "Help!"

Uwara remarked, "I think Ami and I will be going now; we need to study."

Ami wiggled over onto Uwara's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and started to unbutton his shirt. "We have LOTS of stuff we need to study and PRACTICE!" She burped, giggled, and then sagged sleepily against him.

Uwara glared at Mamoru as he draped Ami over his shoulder and carried her out the door. "I think some BAKA encouraged Ami to drink a 'little' more than she should have," Uwara added sarcastically.

After the laughter died down a little, Minako chirped brightly, "I brought some more comedy movies to watch and we can make some popcorn!"

By the time a few videos had played, Yuuichirou was snoring loudly. Rei got up and rolled him over with her toe. "I'm out of here. He can sleep it off where he is," she commented disgustedly as she left the apartment.

Makoto and Shinozaki seemed more interested in each other than in watching TV. Motoki had fallen asleep where he, Minako, and Rei had been sprawled on the floor. Minako was more than half-asleep herself.

Usagi was tired. "I'm going to bed. If anybody wants a ride home, the concierge desk downstairs can order a taxi. Or you can just crash here," she announced. To Mamoru she added, "You can stay out here or come to bed with me. I don't care which."

Mamoru's half-closed eyes opened and brightened. "I'll take Door Number Two," he answered. He suddenly hopped up, grabbed her hand, and towed her toward their bedroom.

The sun shone brightly through the open curtains the next morning. Usagi awoke at eleven o'clock, early for her on a Saturday. She padded down the hall to the bathroom and afterwards regarded the party's aftermath in the living room. Returning to the bedroom and stifling a giggle, she sat down next to a comatose Mamoru and shook him gently. "Wake up, honey. You've got to see them," she whispered.

Mamoru moaned, "Go away, Luna. It's too early. I don't want to get up yet."

Usagi smiled. Mamoru had become the new victim of the 'alarm' cat when Luna had moved in with them. Luna preferred Mamoru's calm awakenings to being shoved off the bed or thrown across the room by Usagi.

Usagi lightly stroked Mamoru's shoulder and brushed the tousled hair off of his face. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him. As his arms closed around her in response, his eyes opened and he regarded her sleepily. "Oh, it's you, love. I thought Luna was trying to get me up to go running," he murmured.

"It's already eleven o'clock. You've usually been up for at least three or four hours by now. I guess you're getting too old to try and drink Ami under the table any more," she teased him. "It was really funny when she started to put the move on you and then switched over to Uwara."

"It's not Ami I want. But you can have me any time. Now would be good," he whispered huskily in her ear as he started nuzzling her neck."

Usagi moved back and shoved his chest lightly, "Down, boy. We still have an apartment full of sleeping drunks. You've got to come see them."

Mamoru acquiesced and dressed. Usagi pointed to Yuuichirou who was wrapped around a long pillow, to which he was talking in his sleep. "Come on baby. Just give your Pookie Bear a little sugar."

Mamoru laughed, "He'll probably have better luck with that pillow than Rei today."

Shinozaki and Makoto had awakened. Shinozaki was attempting to retrieve bits and pieces of their clothes scattered around on the floor. He clutched the blanket to himself in embarrassment. Makoto shrugged as if to say 'whatever'.

Usagi said, "Look at Minako and Motoki. Isn't that absolutely darling." They were curled and twined together, with smiles on both their faces, still asleep.

Mamoru commented, "I've been wondering if they would get together. They've seemed like they have been getting closer since Motoki got dumped by Reika. Maybe Ms. Matchmaker has finally made a match for herself."


	12. Chapter 12

Usagi and her mother retreated to the kitchen, leaving Mamoru, Shingo, and Kenji to watch the sports scores recap for the week. It was something of a tradition for Kenji and Shingo to watch the Friday night sports week in review show when they could.

Usagi and Mamoru joined her family because their agent said their commercials were going to air during the show. The fairy tale spot would be during the ladies figure skating highlights and the locker room scene would be during the coverage of local sumo wrestling championship bouts. Usagi knew that she would enjoy seeing Mamoru's reaction to the actual broadcast version. She had told her mother about the "joke" she played on him at their last party in June.

After fetching some snacks, they rejoined the "boys". Shingo's favorite had won all his matches and made the final round. As their commercial came on, Ikuko watched with interest and switched on the recorder. Kenji sat in stony silence. Shingo punctuated it with gagging sounds. Near the end Mamoru buried his face in his hands, slowly reddened, and refused to watch.

Her mother commented, "Well that was interesting. You certainly did a good job of playing your characters."

Usagi elbowed Mamoru to get him to look up. Usagi grinned at her embarrassed spouse, "Oh we didn't have to do any 'acting' at all. It was easy. I was really mad at first when they showed me the script. I would never have agreed to do something so risqué if he had asked me first. But Mamoru explained that we needed the money and that the commercial would give us a lot of 'exposure'." She smiled at him so sweetly; it was obviously false.

Kenji growled, "Exposure is right. How could you ever agree to have my daughter appear in such a revealing show on TV.

Ikuko hit the replay on the tape, "Here's the part you missed." Ikuko and Usagi broke out laughing as Mamoru's expression changed from mortification to puzzlement.

Usagi gloatingly explained, "What I showed at the party was an outtake that the film edit crew cooked up. They thought you deserved some payback for the way you pulled that 'joke' on me."

Shingo butted in, "What did you show at the party? What joke did he play on you? Why was he so embarrassed looking? Why won't anybody tell me about this stuff?" The only response to his questions was looks of amusement from the adults in the room.

In a lightning mood change, Usagi's eyes flashed angrily at Mamoru; she drew herself up to her full height and stared down at him. She began frostily, "I respect your need to feel like you're the head of the household and that you are providing for us. But if you EVER agree to do something that raunchy or stupid again without talking with me first; not only will you be doing it alone, you will be living in your car down in the parking garage."

Shingo started laughing loudly and Kenji got up and looked ready to jump in with his opinions. Usagi glared at them both and said, "You two stay out of this. It's not your concern."

Mamoru's jaw dropped in astonishment at his pint-sized little bunny taking them all on at once. This wasn't like all the times he had made her mad for fun. This time she was deadly serious and they all knew it. It was as impressive as some of her confrontations as Sailor Moon. He finally replied, "Umm, we'll talk about it at home." He turned and looked at the others questioningly.

"You haven't seen her really mad very often; I take it. She gets it from her mother. It doesn't happen very often; but when it does duck and cover," Kenji offered his hard earned words of advice.

*~*~*~*

Mamoru looked up from his textbook as he felt the signal unused for the last couple of months. Sailor Moon had transformed. Quickly he materialized a rose and when the change was complete, leaped lightly off their apartment balcony. He followed the pull toward Sailor Moon's battle, to the Tsukino house.

While still outside he could hear her shrill challenge, "I will punish evil and this means you. Prepare to be moondusted, youma!"

He hurriedly slipped inside the upstairs balcony doors and followed the sound of her voice. Her back was toward the door as she stood menacingly over her cowering target, hiding beneath the bed. "Sailor Moon, stop!" he commanded. "You can't moondust your brother!"

Sailor Moon turned and crossed her arms, regarding him challengingly. "And why not? Do you know what he's done? And then he had the nerve to call me FAT!"

Tuxedo Mask knew he had to defuse this situation and quickly. "There's no need to resort to violence. I'm sure we can talk this over. Tell me what the problem is, love," he enunciated in his most soothing and seductive tones. Moving over to Sailor Moon, he captured her in his arms, effectively immobilizing her.

"I'll show you what he's done," she snapped angrily. Adding in a quieter voice, that deadly question, "I'm not fat, am I?"

Tuxedo Mask sweat-dropped. "Of course you're not fat darling. You're more beautiful than ever. You're positively radiant. But perhaps that fuku isn't your best look just now."

The senshi uniform's stretchy white leotard and short skirt, clearly outlined and emphasized the rounding of her belly, six months gone in a twin pregnancy. Somewhat mollified, Sailor Moon snatched up a pile of papers and thrust it toward Tuxedo Mask's face. "Here, look at this."

In full color was a printout of the latest edition of "Gossipbyter's Ezine". The headline question read "Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask Revealed? . . . Did Tuxedo Mask Bang My Sister?" Four photos were arranged below it. On the left was the now familiar photo Shingo had taken of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask making out. Below it was the second photo, previously unknown to them, of the same couple obviously in the throes of heated lovemaking. The uncovered portions of their bodies occupied the center of the photograph. His firm, well-defined, and quite bare gluteus maximus was framed by her shapely legs, clasping him tightly around the waist. The caption below read "Winning Celebity Candid Photos from the Amateur Photographer Contest". On the right side of the page were stills from the Rapunzel in the tower shampoo commercial and the now infamous shower scene commercial. Encaptioned below: "Celebrity Love Fantasies? Or Hot New Movie Rehearsal?" For details see page 12.

Tuxedo Mask's face darkened with rage and he uttered a low growl. "So that's what's been going on. I was pinched, patted, goosed and grabbed by at least 37 women and half a dozen men at the grocery store and on the subway today. I thought it was because of that stupid commercial. There are displays of this damn rag at every grocery store, coffee shop, and train station in town."

"Can we at least let Mars barbeque him a little?" wheedled Sailor Moon.

"I may use him for target practice myself," uttered Tuxedo Mask menacingly as he threw a rose, inches from where Shingo was attempting to slither out from under the bed and make his escape.

Sailor Moon thoughtfully said, "No, we need revenge in kind. Something horribly embarrassing."

"And publicly humiliating," added Tuxedo Mask. "I say we hang him upside down from the top of Tokyo Tower."

Sailor Moon smiled evilly, "Dressed as a girl." Seeing something pink between his mattresses, she pulled and unearthed her pink bunny tee shirt and Mamoru's missing white shirt. They had char marks, odd discolorations, and random chunks cut out of them. "He can wear this tee shirt," she added.

Tuxedo Mask grinned like a shark, "How about that pink lace thong with the white bunny tail of yours, and the ears that go with it?"

Sailor Moon added, "My red sandals with the 10 cm. stiletto heels. Minako would love to do a make-over, I'm sure. She has the kinkiest lingerie' too."

"I'd be interested in seeing that. On second thought, keep your bunny outfit," added Tuxedo Mask, ducking as Sailor Moon playfully swung at him.

Scrounging in Shingo's stash of odds and ends, they bound and gagged him with gray tape. Accompanied by Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask carried him away across the rooftops to Minako's house.

Minako was delighted to try her expertise in doing a make-over for Shingo. Looking him over, she said, "I have the perfect outfit." She brought a curly red wig, a bright orange skirt as short as a fuku, and high purple platform shoes out of her costume box in her closet. Usagi and Minako giggled as they dressed the protesting Shingo in his new outfit. Tuxedo Mask had shed his props and jacket and sprawled across Minako's bed watching with interest.

Minako stood back and stared critically at Shingo. "Where to begin? It's going to be quite a challenge to make him beautiful. Those bushy eyebrows and hairy legs have got to go. Lucky thing I just restocked my leg wax."

Sailor Moon clapped her hands and laughed, "Oh lets! I want to help!"

Tuxedo Mask cringed involuntarily, remembering his tortures at the hands of Beryl and her minions. He believed that it would be better to die in battle than to let some vicious female capture him again. His love and her senshi were displaying the same cruel tendencies.

Shingo writhed and emitted muffled cries as Minako and Sailor Moon gleefully applied the hot wax. Tuxedo Mask swore the screams as the girls ripped off the backing and wax stuck to the hair rang out as loudly as if the poor boy was not gagged. "Much better," commented Minako.

"Now for his makeup," Minako brought out her cosmetics and applied mascara, eye shadow and blush to bring out his features.

"The lipstick will have to wait until we drop him off and un-gag him," said Sailor Moon.

Minako called Makoto who agreed to meet them at Tokyo Tower with her camera. She called Rei and Ami as well. Ami protested, "This isn't right."

Sailor Moon stood next to Minako and spoke to Ami as well, "Call up the Gossipbyters website and take a look at the front page."

Ami quickly complied and came back on screen, "Oh my, some of the people may figure out these photos are for real! And they're even more embarrassing than those commercials."

Tuxedo Mask threw in, "You've got that right!"

Rei had just been listening and finally joined in the conference call on the communicator to tease Ami and Mamoru, "The rear view when you guys are transformed is even better than the one Ami liked so much at your party."

"Rei!" exclaimed several outraged senshi.

"Seriously, Shingo does need to be taught a lesson he won't forget. He endangered himself and your parents as well as all of us just to enter a stupid contest," commented Rei.

The senshi met at Tokyo Tower and deposited Shingo on the observation deck on the top floor. They withdrew to strategic locations to observe the response to the "school boy prank", as they called it when they notified the Gossipbyter's tip line and called Mika to come rescue her boyfriend. Shingo was so intimidated by his "lesson" at the hands of his sister and her senshi that he never did reveal the truth of what happened to him. The story remained that he had been grabbed by "unknown school boys" as a prank. It only merited a few short lines on page 34 of the next edition and one extremely blurry photo. Minako was a bit disappointed that the public did not get a better chance to view her "artistic creation".

*~*~*~*

"Usagi, your Mom called this morning while you were asleep. She said there was a letter for you from the school at their house. She invited us for lunch; we can pick it up then," Mamoru told his sleepy wife who had finally wandered out into the kitchen.

"Ugh! I don't even want to think about school. It starts in two weeks. My back hurts again. Can you do that thing to make it stop hurting," she whined. She purred as he rubbed her back and manipulated the acupressure points.

"What are you going to do about classes for the fall term?" he asked.

"I don't know. They didn't tell me anything when school let out for summer break. I can check the list of what's available on the computer. I guess I'll find out what they want me to do at registration or maybe it's in the letter," she answered.

Shingo was conspicuously absent during lunch with Ikuko. Most of the publicity flurry had died down as quickly as it started, as the paparazzi went after fresh game. Shingo was avoiding Usagi and Mamoru after the photo fiasco. He was still afraid of their alter egos according to their Mom. Ikuko had been rather upset at what Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and the senshi had done to Shingo but did agree in principle that he needed some type of "punishment".

Usagi finally read the letter after they arrived back home. "We've got to make an appointment and see the counselor together before the beginning of school 'to discuss my enrollment and educational program'. I wonder what that really means?"

"They probably don't want you in regular classes," Mamoru commented candidly. "You're a bad influence or some such thing; obviously pregnant and notorious TV commercials and photos in the gossip paper."

"Yeah, and whose fault is all that?" [and so on, round and round].

Later that week, they met with the counselor at the school one afternoon for the appointment. "Miss Tsukino, we believe it to be in your best interest, considering your health requirements, to place you in an alternative tutoring program for the fall and winter terms," began the counselor pompously. The remaining remarks appeared to be addressed to Mamoru, as Mr. Bakasama turned in his direction and looked away from Usagi. "I have prepared a program for her placing her in the homemaking skills for young ladies track.* It includes: communication skills for homemakers, math for everyday life, modern history, nutrition and food science, child development, and cooking and sewing lab. The second year is: etiquette and protocol for home and business entertaining, household budgeting and economics, law and government for the citizen, first aid and home heath care, home decorating, and flower arranging. This leads to the diploma in life skills. She will meet with a tutor twice a week from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. She may use the school library as required, and schedule lab time and consultations with other teachers on an appointment basis. Of course she will not be able to sit for the national college entrance examinations."

His face assuming the unreadable expression usually signaling anger or irritation, Mamoru answered most politely, with dripping sarcasm. "Excuse me, Sir, but 'Miss Tsukino' has been 'Mrs. Chiba' since February, two school terms ago. She already knows how to cook, sew, and balance the household accounts. And I assure you that she more than adequately fulfills all my other requirements."

Usagi blushed and looked down. Mamoru continued 'his' meeting with the counselor. "I do not believe she needs those easy courses that are nothing but frills and filler. She will be attending the university. I think she should enroll in the following college preparatory program: composition and literature including kanji, college preparatory mathematics, chemistry or physics, world history, English, French, music theory, and art history."

Usagi became increasingly angry with these two arrogant men, who were talking about her as if she were not present, and presuming to decide her course of action without even consulting her. She stood up between them, slapped both hands on the table, and interjected loudly, "Iie!"

As they both regarded her with a look of dumbfounded surprise, Usagi continued, "I will chose my own courses, which will include both useful 'frills' (with a glare at Mamoru) and the minimum requirements for the university examination, if I choose to sit for it."

Smiling sweetly at Mamoru, "You're all I ever wished for and I love you dearly. But darling, we've had this discussion before about you making decisions concerning what I do without talking with me first. Perhaps Mr. Bakasama would like to know just who decided that I should appear in that 'disgraceful' commercial, as he put it."

Mamoru reddened slightly as he was shot down in flames, ever so sweetly. Usagi concluded, "I think that about covers everything we need to discuss. Let's go, dear."

As they walked out of the school she added, "I think I'll like school better this year since I don't have to go every day. But I still want to see my friends, especially since they'll all have been gone the last few weeks of summer break except for Rei and Naru."

Mamoru smiled, "The counselor said you could use the library any time. Why not just go there before or after lunch on the days you don't have class scheduled if you want to eat with your friends? You can visit with them every day if you want."

"I love it when you're devious. Let's go home. I'm worn out all of a sudden; I missed my nap," she replied and sagged against him tiredly. "I'm glad I've got you. I do need you, you know. I love you," she whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

Mamoru looked down at his odango-shaped 'little bunny'. Usagi laid her head against his shoulder as he held her. Asleep on her feet; amazing. He picked her up and carried her the rest of the way to the car. Not exactly sweeping her off her feet, but it will do, he thought wryly.

~*~*~*

* Some courses like these are actually available from correspondence schools in the U. S. although I am not aware if there are actually similar programs in Japan. Homeschooling is not common there.


	13. Chapter 13

~*~*~*

Beep. Beep. Beep. "Usagi, answer your communicator!" complained the exhausted Mamoru. He had just gotten to sleep after staying up late studying.

"Ungh," moaned the large, blanket covered lump.

"Ow! Damn it! Where did you put that thing?" yelled Mamoru as his feet tangled in Usagi's robe on the floor and his face met the carpet.

Pinpointing the annoying beeping to a pile of junk on her vanity, he began digging for it. "What do you do with all this crap?" he asked rhetorically. "Got it! What is it, Rei? This had better be important; it's 4 A. M.," Mamoru growled at the girl's image silhouetted by the fire behind her.

"Can't drag her highness' lazy butt out of bed, huh?" smirked Rei.

"Usagi's not being lazy. She's tired all the time these days; the heat's hard on her. Her back's been bothering her too. And as soon as we get to sleep, I swear the two inside start playing and kicking. If she's against me, they wake ME up!" Mamoru vented.

"Whatever. I just picked up a large amount of negative energy while I was reading the great fire. It looks like something materialized in an old warehouse down near the docks. There were several bodies in black robes scattered around the floor," Rei informed him.

"Oh, yeah. Senshi business. You and me are it unless the outers are back in town. Everyone else is still off on vacation," he mused distractedly.

"I'm way ahead of you, Cape Boy. Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru are already on the way there. Pluto's off somewhere in or out of time, out of reach. Wake up Usagi and get her to monitor with the Imperium Silver Crystal for us. Boy, you're slow today!"

"Okay, okay. I'll be there in a few minutes. Leave on the locator beacon so I can find you," Mamoru answered.

"Honey, wake up! We need you, princess," Mamoru said, shaking Usagi gently. He saw that her eyes were open as she sat up slowly. He transformed to Tuxedo Mask while she watched bemusedly.

"What's going on?" Usagi finally asked.

"Rei called. There's been some kind of negative energy attack. She and the outers are on the way there. We need you to monitor in case we need help from the 'Princess'. I've got to go now," Mamoru summarized.

Usagi grabbed his cape and pulled him back into her embrace. She kissed him briefly. "Be careful. I love you. I want you back alive and whole," she ordered.

"I love you too. Watch out for us," Tuxedo Mask answered as he leaped off the balcony and headed off toward the east side of town.

Rei ran toward the group circling the large glowing green amorphous shape at the back of the warehouse. In concert the Outers attacked:

World Shaking

Deep Submerge

Silence Glaive Surprise.

As the simultaneous attacks hit the youma, the green light flared blindingly and there was a tremendous explosion. Green dust floated gently toward the floor. Green ectoplasm splattered in all directions. Rei arrived just in time to be plastered along with Haruka, Michiru, and Hotaru.

Tuxedo Mask watched from his second story perch on the fire escape exit out of reach. His garments remained unsoiled to his fastidious satisfaction. He laughed at the girls' disgusted exclamations. "Wonderful job ladies," he extended his customary kudos.

"I didn't see you hurrying to help," yelled back Haruka. "Just like a man to sit back and leave all the dirty work to the women."

"Where's Usagi?" asked Hotaru.

"She's back at home monitoring through the Crystal," answered Tuxedo Mask.

Tuxedo Mask hastily climbed back out the window through which he had entered. "I'll be leaving now," he yelled as he retreated, before the two senshi with the villainous expressions could corner him. Rei and Haruka stopped midway in their climb toward the second floor, dropping their globs of the disgusting goo. Unlike the youma, he had escaped their wrath once more unscathed.

Rei turned her attention to the scene in the warehouse. Seven black robed bodies were scattered around the room in a rough circle around a pentagram drawn in blood on the floor. Black candles burned low at the star's points and what looked like a small bloody fur lay in the center. Various mystical symbols were inscribed on the floor near each body. "What a bunch of idiots. They were trying some western black magic ritual. They're lucky they only got a left over youma and not what they were trying to summon."

The girls pulled back the hoods from each victim's face. "Hey this guy looks familiar," said Michiru. "I think he used to go to our school."

"And this girl here sure isn't the good little C-school girl she pretends to be," announced Rei as she peered closely at one of the girls, who went to her school. "I think we should 'clean up' after them. I don't want to leave any doors open to the evil they were trying to bring here," she added.

Together they joined forces and recited, "Fire, wind, and water cleanse. Evil depart."

"Silence return," finished Hotaru.

As the would be sorcerers awoke, they were greeted by four stern senshi. Haruka solemnly intoned, "Depart and never repeat this foolishness."

Her attempt to scare some sense into the teenagers was blunted by Michiru's giggling exclamation, "If it wasn't for us, that youma would have drained your energy and then had your sorry butts for breakfast."

Rei added, "Get the 'hell' out of here and if we ever hear about you doing this stuff again, I'll come and roast you myself."

As the seven frightened 'victims' scurried out of the warehouse, the senshi gave in and broke out laughing. "Civilians!" exclaimed Rei. "Like magical powers are some kind of kid's toy. There are too many stupid TV shows with magic these days."

Hotaru gave a rare smile, "Don't forget all the movies and cartoons too!"

The voice of the monitoring  ‘Princess’ came from above them, "I'll second that. All the evil aura is gone. You 'guys' should go on home and try and get some more sleep. Oh, never mind, my 'guy' just made it home. Bye!"

~*~*~*

"Awe come on, you know you want to go. It's a beautiful clear day and should be all weekend too," Mamoru wheedled. "I'm off work for once. It might be the last chance to get away by ourselves for a long time," he tried playing his trump card.

Usagi stood regarding herself in the full-length mirror. "But I look like a blimp."

"So what. Nobody there will know you but me and I like how you look," Mamoru said as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "See I can still reach all the way around," he teased.

"Oh you're just awful!" she complained as she shoved him backwards and he  collapsed on the bed. His carefully sorted piles for the trip fell in a jumbled mess on the floor. He looked up at her expectantly. "What?" she snapped in response to his silent, questioning look.

Mamoru grinned and asked hopefully, "Aren't you going to have your way with me?"

Surprised, Usagi answered, "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Well the last time you threw me on the bed, that's what you wanted," he explained.

"You remember that? That was at least three months ago," she exclaimed.

"Well you obviously remembered it, as you just pointed out. Why shouldn't I?" he countered.

"Don't get your hopes up. What were we talking about anyway?" she asked.

"We were getting ready to go to the beach house I rented for the weekend," he reminded her.

"I don't have anything to wear," she protested, trying a different tactic.

"Wrong again," Mamoru announced. Digging under the bed, he pulled out a large box. "You forgot the clothes the magazine gave you when you did the resort holiday spread. They should just about fit now. They were too big before." He held up a couple of swimsuits, a tennis dress, some shorts outfits, and an after-five dress. "See, plenty of clothes to wear."

"But I never liked that stuff anyway. Those swimsuits look like something my grandma would wear," Usagi whined.

"Promise me you won't beat me up if I say it," Mamoru smirked.

"Oh go ahead. I can tell you're dying to try whatever new insult you've dreamed up," she answered resignedly.

"Actually I don't have to say anything. You judge for yourself," he threw over his shoulder as he rummaged through her underwear drawer. Fishing out her string bikini from their honeymoon, he dangled both the bikini and the matronly swim dress in front of her mirror. "Which one do you want to be seen in this weekend at the beach?"

"I never said I was going," she countered.

"Oh well, maybe Rei and Yuuichirou would like to go with me instead. You can stay home and buy all the supplies you need to start school on Monday. I'll just lie around on the beach and watch all the girls, uh, scenery," Mamoru needled.

"Ugh, how can you mention school. I don't want to think about it. And you're not watching anything without me there to make sure you behave. I give up. I'll go. I hope you're happy," she pouted.

"You bet," Mamoru agreed happily.

Later that evening, the unpacking done and the remains of their fast food dinner put away, Usagi collapsed wearily on the couch. "What do you want to do now? I vote for sleeping."

"We can't just go right to sleep after all that greasy food. In about thirty minutes you'll be complaining about heartburn," Mamoru practically pointed out. "You need to stay up for a while. It's too soon to go swimming. How about we go for a stroll on the beach?"

"But I'm too tired," Usagi complained.

"You were sitting for hours in the car. You can use the fresh air and need to move around some. Come on, you'll feel better. You know the doctor said you should walk some every day if you could," he countered.

Usagi smiled, "Meow. Luna, did you use the disguise pen and turn yourself into Mamoru? You sound just like her."

"Nah. She's staying at Minako's house with Artemis. Even I like a break from the nagging sometimes," he admitted. "So go change into your swimsuit, Grandma. If you don't want to walk on the beach, we can go the other way and look at the shops on the boardwalk. They're all closed though."

"We can go down the beach tonight. We can go look at the shops tomorrow after we go to a restaurant for lunch. You didn't think I was planning on doing a lot of cooking did you? We are supposed to be on vacation," Usagi teased back.

They strolled along hand in hand not heading any particular place. The sun had just set and the sky was darkening. The cooling breeze blew inland from the sea. "Do you want to head back? It's getting cooler." Mamoru asked.

"No it's nice. I like the quiet, the sound of the waves, the gull cries and all. I can stop thinking and worrying," Usagi let slip.

"That's partly why I wanted you to come this weekend. You've seemed kind of upset and tense lately and you wouldn't tell me what was bothering you. Even when you've shut off the link some of it still leaks through. I may not be as good at reading you as you are at reading me, but even I can tell something's wrong. What is it darling? Tell me," he said turning toward her, concern visible in his expression.

Usagi hesitated and her eyes filled with tears. "It's silly, I don't have anything to be upset about."

"Just tell me, I promise I won't laugh at you," he said and stroked the side of her face.

"I've been lonely and scared and there hasn't been anyone to talk to about it. All my friends have been gone all month. You've been working all the time. I really try to act mature and grown up but I'm not!" and she broke down and burst into tears.

Mamoru dragged her in closer and eased them both down to sit on the sand. This looked to be a long session, he could tell she needed to cry herself out. Until she was through and calmer what she really needed from him was just to be held.

"All my friends got to go somewhere and have fun. I was stuck at home by myself getting bigger and bigger. They're going to laugh at me at school. I look like a cow. All these women keep telling me all these horrible stories about how hard and awful it was when they had babies," she cried.

"It's okay. It will be all right," he soothed, stroking her back.

"No, it won't! I never even got to be a normal teenager at all with Sailor Moon and all and now I have to be the Mom! I can't do it. I'm scared of having babies. I'm afraid I'll screw up and ruin their lives like I do so many things. It won't be like Chibi-Usa, she was a pain but she was older and could talk and understand me. There will be two little bitty helpless babies. I don't know what to do," Usagi sobbed.

Mamoru rocked her; he could do nothing else. He had no idea at all how to 'fix' this. "Haven't you talked to any friends with kids?" he asked.

"You know all my friends. None of them know any of this stuff," she answered.

"Could you talk to your Mom?" he asked desperately. Usagi looked like she was going to start the wailing again.

"She wouldn't understand. She's old. How can she remember what any of it was like?" she sniffled.

"What about one of Motoki's sisters? Maybe one of them could tell you what it's really like without trying to scare you. Who are these women who tell you all this stuff anyway?" he asked.

"It could be anybody. The women in the doctor's waiting room, in line at the supermarket, at the mall, they all just come up to me and start asking me questions and telling me their horrible stories," she explained.

Mamoru sighed. "I'll be with you. I know most of this falls on you right now, and it will when they're little too. I don't know much about little kids either, except what I've read in books. You know I never got to be a kid much myself. I'm scared sometimes too." He was getting depressed himself.

Usagi said, "I'm sorry I'm being such a baby."

"Hey, it's okay. You needed to cry. You can talk to me you know. If you tell me you just want me to listen, I'll try not to jump right in and try to 'fix' it," he offered.

Usagi giggled, "You do that! I didn't think you realized it." Sobering, "I've never even seen a baby born except those awful films in health class. You have though."

Mamoru squirmed a little, "Well yeah, we had to observe several deliveries in school. I assisted with a few more in the paramedic training I took over the last two summers for work. I even had to deliver a couple when it was too late for the ambulance to make it to the hospital. You never really seemed to want to talk about this before. You always changed the subject and would wander off when I tried to ask you about it or what you wanted to do for the delivery."

"It made me nervous even to think about it. I was embarrassed I don't know anything. I never even read the books you and the doctor gave me," she finally admitted and started crying again. While Usagi continued to cry, Mamoru tried to think of something to say without making her more upset, even though his first response was to want to yell at her. He was getting a little better at controlling his urge toward sarcasm and cutting remarks. "It's really not horrible or awful like those women said. But I won't lie, parts of it do seem pretty painful and some stuff just looks gross. But it's really cool when they're done; everybody is so happy and excited. And cesarean babies even change color from kind of bluish to pinkish." He enthusiastically began to describe that procedure.

"Okay that's enough, I don't think I want to know any more about that," Usagi protested looking slightly nauseous.

Noticing Usagi shiver, Mamoru said, "Why don't we go back? It's getting a little chilly. I'll help you up." He offered her his hand.

Not seeing Usagi's evil look, he started to pull her up, when she let go. He tumbled backwards, landing awkwardly on his rear. Her peals of laughter rang out, "Oh you looked so surprised. That was so funny."

"Funny is it?" he mock growled and lunged toward her, all fingers extended. He tickled her until she squealed and begged for mercy. Usagi tried retaliating but he refused to laugh or even smile. "Oh why can't you be as ticklish as I am. You're no fun. Now I'm all sandy and my hair is all dirty too," she complained.

"I could carry you out into the surf and dunk you so you could wash off. It is kind of cold though," Mamoru offered 'helpfully'.

"I'll pass. I get the first shower though," she called.

Mamoru grinned, "Don't you want to share?"

"No!" Usagi answered resolutely as she stomped back toward their beach house.

She stifled giggles as she heard him call plaintively after her, "Don't you want me? You don't love me any more." A sound like a whimpering puppy followed her all the way back to the beach house.

Usagi was wrapped in a warm terry robe and toweling her hair dry in front of the small fireplace in the lounge area. "Where are all the towels?" yelled Mamoru from the bathroom.

"There was a pile on the counter," she called back to him. "Oops, I think I have them all."

"I think you did that on purpose," he said as came over to retrieve one for himself, stopping to flick water on Usagi in retaliation for stealing all the towels. "Do you want me to brush your hair?" Mamoru asked as he finished drying his own.

"Sure. Um, don't you want a robe or some shorts or something?" she asked, turning to look at him curiously and continuing to regard him with interest.

"Naw, I like that look in your eyes. Besides you haven't been paying much attention to me that way lately. Did your doctor say anything about having to stop, ah you know . . .? Or maybe you just don't feel like it, I mean that's okay, if that's what you want," Mamoru continued awkwardly.

"She said there's no reason I can't do what I feel like, just not to put any weight on my stomach, or get too wild," Usagi answered. She blushed as she said uncertainly," I thought maybe with the way I look now you wouldn't anything to do with me."

Mamoru laughed, "Darling, you should know me better than that by now. I'll love you through thick or thin." He took away her hairbrush and tossed it aside, pulled the robe back off her shoulders and dropped it on the floor, no longer needed.


	14. Chapter 14

~*~*~*

The girls were gathered for a senshi meeting after school at the little teahouse on the temple property. Usagi flopped down on a pile of cushions as soon as she arrived, out of breath from just the small hill on the way to the building. Ami, Minako, and Makoto stared at her as she struggled to catch her breath. "Wow, you were right, Rei. She is absolutely humongous!" observed Makoto.

Ami sniffed, "That wasn't a very tactful to put it, Makoto."

Minako commented, "the Mother Goddess."

"What?" chimed in Makoto and Usagi.

"Prehistoric statues and images of huge pregnant women found across Eurasia," Ami began to lecture.

"If you are just going to pick on me, I'm leaving. I didn't come here to be insulted," said Usagi, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Oh no, those people worshiped those figures," said Ami.

"Yeah, she means you look like a goddess," lied Minako.

"Well I guess I'll stay for a while," conceded Usagi.

"How come we didn't see you at school yesterday? I made a special lunch," asked Makoto.

"Mamoru made me leave right after class so he could drop me off for my doctor's appointment before he had to go to his afternoon lab," Usagi explained. "I really wanted to see your cooking Makoto, I mean see all of you," she added. They laughed at her poor comeback.

"How come Cape Boy didn't come to the meeting today?" asked Rei.

"He's working evening shift at the hospital on Tuesday and Thursday this semester," Usagi answered.

"I thought he had that computer job most days," Ami commented.

"No, just on Saturday's this term. He's got labs MWF so that was the only day left," Usagi added.

"So you're by yourself again most of the time," commented Minako.

"Yeah, the story of my life these days," mused Usagi sadly. "I actually miss going to school every day," she admitted. "To go see my friends, of course," she added hastily, lest they get the wrong impression.

"So what classes and schedule did you end up with?" asked Ami.

"I'm taking: poetry and calligraphy, medieval history, math for business and finance, economics, and health and nutrition. Class is 9-11 a.m. MWF, but Mamoru drops me off at 8 a.m. so he can get to his 8:30 a.m." she whined. "You'll never believe who my teacher was supposed to be."

Rei commented, "That doesn't sound like the home ec track, more like liberal arts. Aren't those classes a little 'intellectual' for you?"

"Oh, you're so mean. I like poetry and it sounded easier than grammar and composition. Kings, queens, castles, samurai, and that stuff have got to be more interesting than modern wars. And why on earth would I want to take trigonometry and calculus? Isn't business math easier, Ami?" asked Usagi.

"Well probably. But don't you know that they use calculus in business and also probability and statistics?" lectured Ami.

"Not problems and sadistics too!" moaned Usagi. "So that's why Mamoru laughed when I told him what I took."

"So who's your teacher?" asked Makoto.

"Well after I went to the cafeteria and ate breakfast again since I got there so early, I went over to the counseling office where the tutors work. I was like 15 minutes early, so I was just drawing on the board; there was nothing else to do. When she saw me there, her first words were, "I've died and gone to hell! They're trying to drive me crazy!" She started crying, ran out of the room, and slammed the door," Usagi began her convoluted story.

"WHO WAS IT?" yelled the girls.

"Well I sat around for another half hour and did my nails, when Mr. Bakasama came in. He gave me my books, told me to read the first chapter in each, and that I could go for the day. My new teacher would start with me on Wednesday. So I don't know this new guy, Mr. Kazebaggu."

"Who was the first one?" yelled Makoto menacingly.

"Oh that? It was Ms. Haruna. Later, I heard the counselors saying she had requested to transfer to the kindergarten class at the elementary school, where at least the students act their ages. Like how insulting!" Usagi complained.

"Oh my goddess, that is so funny! Now you'll be known forever as the one who finally broke Haruna," laughed Minako.

"And I was even early. I was going to be nice this year," whined Usagi.

Rei grinned, "I think I know your teacher; if he's the same one who used to teach at my school. He's like a thousand years old and really grumpy and prissy. Everyone has to be on time and he wants everything 'just-so', neat and orderly. Your paper can be absolute garbage, but if your handwriting is neat and pretty you can still get a good grade. 'Old Wind Bag' was always dusting and cleaning and lecturing on proper behavior. The hardest of all was having to laugh at his lame jokes."

Ami put in thoughtfully, "Actually if you play it right; you may get along fine with him. He sounds like an older combination of Mamoru and Motoki."

"Did you just insult my guy?" asked Usagi and Minako simultaneously.

Makoto jumped in first to begin the interrogation. "Hey, Minako. What's this 'my guy' stuff? Spill it, girl."

Minako grinned, "Motoki and I have been seeing each other some this summer. He even came to the movie set on location in Hawaii where we were filming."

Rei crowded in and added, "We want ALL the dirt. Now." Usagi and Ami hovered behind Makoto and Rei, just as curious.

"That's really all there is. He came down for a week and we went and did all the tourist stuff on the island, you know. He stayed at our suite," Minako answered.

"Woo hoo," chimed in Usagi.

"So you two are, you know, doing stuff?" asked Ami.

"No, I didn't mean that," Minako denied.

"Well if he stayed with you?" questioned Usagi.

"He stayed with me and my Mom. She and I shared a room. He got the couch," Minako protested.

"So you guys didn't do anything?" asked Makoto sounding disappointed.

"No, nothing. I don't plan to either. I don't want any unexpected surprises," Minako replied, glancing at Usagi.

Usagi retorted somewhat annoyed, "I resemble that remark. I mean I resent that remark. Ugh, now I sound like Minako." She finished weakly. The other girls laughed; the two blondes were a lot alike in more than looks.

Usagi asked, "So Ami and Makoto, what was your vacation like?"

Ami put in, "I spent my vacation the way I usually do, at the pre-college math and science workshop. This year Uwara and I went to the one in Kyoto. It was very interesting and informative. I think it will help us improve our scores on the national exams again. The company guarantees an increase of at least 30 points. Would you like to hear more about what we studied?"

"Uh no, I think I get the idea. Where were you Makoto?" Usagi continued.

Rei, Minako, and Ami all looked at her expectantly as well. Makoto hadn't said anything about going anywhere to anyone. "You'll never believe it. You know that cooking contest that the Culinary Institute sponsors here in Tokyo, that I enter every year. Well this time I got one of the scholarships for the three week summer session at the Cordon Bleu school in Paris."

Minako squealed, "No way! You went to Paris and you didn't tell ANY of us?"

"Traitor!" yelled Rei.

"What a wonderful learning opportunity for you," said Ami.

"You didn't have to speak French for class did you?" asked Usagi, thinking that would not be fun at all.

"Did you go shopping and buy lots of new clothes?" asked Minako.

"Yeah, you've got to show us all of them," added Usagi.

"Whoa, too many questions. It was lots of fun. I learned lots of new recipes. They took us on two days of guided tours, so I saw almost everything. I had saved about 25,000 yen, so I got to buy a few outfits," Makoto explained.

Fixated on the comment about new recipes, Usagi asked, "So when do we get to eat all the new stuff you know how to make now? Do you have any food made to try yet?"

"Usagi! You're always thinking about food," sniped Rei. She made a large spreading motion with her hands. The other girls giggled.

Ami commented, "If the food is as good as the reputation of the school, we may all put on a few kilos, not just Usagi."

Makoto brought out a magazine and flipped it open, a sly expression on her face. "I bought a copy of this teen magazine in Paris; the people in this ad sure look familiar, Usagi." A dark haired man in swim trunks was looking entreatingly at a blonde girl and pulling her toward him. In a second picture was a very pregnant girl with tears running down her face. She was watching the man walk off in the middle of a group of bikini clad models with his arms around the ones on either side of him.

Rei's face lit up as well. She razzed, "I saw that in a magazine I was flipping through at the news stand last week. I thought you said you gave up embarrassing ads, Usagi. I mean do you really want everybody at school to call you the 'I didn't say no' girl?"

"I have on all my clothes; and it paid good money," Usagi protested.

"Well you sure haven't been doing a very good job of making that man of yours keep his clothes on. I don't care how much he complains; I think he likes all the attention he gets from the girls," needled Makoto.

"He's dressed," Usagi said. "Well he has a swim suit on anyway. We ran into Haruka and Michiru and they were teasing me about it. Haruka asked Mamoru if it really wasn't the attention from the guys that he likes. It's a good thing she's so fast. He almost caught her that time."

Ami sighed, "You guys are always good for a few laughs. I hope that doesn't change too much."

~*~*~*

Early one morning, later in September, a loud 'Thwap' resounded through the bedroom. "Ow, why did ya do that?" complained Mamoru as he grabbed the pillow that bashed his head.

"You wouldn't listen. You just rolled over and groaned," Usagi whined.

Mamoru came awake instantly. "Oh no. It's not TIME, is it? It's too early."

"No, don't be ridiculous. I'm hungry. Go get me some picked eels and salted plum candies, right now," Usagi ordered.

"But it's only 5a.m. The market isn't open yet," Mamoru protested.

"I don't care. I want them now," Usagi shoved him out of bed onto the floor. Mamoru just lay there for a moment and groaned. He had heard about cravings but he hadn't really believed it. So far all she had done was to double the amount of ice cream and chocolate she ate.

Grumbling under his breath, Mamoru dragged himself up off the floor and moved over to the balcony door. He transformed to Tuxedo Mask and opened the door to leave. "I'll try the fish market in the warehouse district. They should be open by now," he called back. There was no answer. Tuxedo Mask slipped quietly back into the bedroom. Usagi was burrowed under the blankets, asleep again.

Tuxedo Mask exited through the balcony doors and leaped from building to building through the shadows. The super hero was on a mission. He dare not return until his quest was done.

~*~*~*

Usagi was foraging in the refrigerator for something to eat. She had finally awakened at 1 p.m. from hunger. The phone rang again; the damn thing had been ringing every thirty minutes or so and disrupting her morning beauty sleep. This time she heard a forlorn voice, "Honey, please pick up this time. It's Mamoru."

Usagi thought a moment. He had left early that morning and had not returned. She finally picked up the phone, "Where are my pickled eels and plum candy?" she growled in agrivation.

"I had them but the cops have probably eaten them by now. Please don't hang up. Listen carefully. I need you to collect 150,000 yen in cash and bring it down to the warehouse district police substation," Mamoru instructed her.

"I don't have that much cash and the bank is closed today. Why do you need it anyway?" she asked.

"I have to pay some fines to get out of jail. Do you remember that ticket I got the time you were in the hospital? The one they never sent the bill for? It went to the wrong place; I missed going to court, and they were arresting everyone this week with warrants for traffic tickets. I kinda got thrown in solitary for a fight in the common cell too. That's an extra fine. Please come get me out; it reminds me too much of Beryl's dungeon," he begged. "Bring some jeans and tennis shoes too," he added.

"What?" she couldn't figure the last part out.

"I changed back to normal when I went to the store to get your stuff and didn't notice what I was wearing. The store clerk called the cops and then took a long time selling me the stuff until the cops came. They ran a check for warrants and found the traffic ticket. The girl thought I was some kind of pervert or something, I guess," he whined.

"Why on earth would she want you arrested?" Usagi inquired.

"I was only wearing a tee shirt, those Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask pajama bottoms that look like boxer shorts, and your pink fuzzy bunny slippers," Mamoru admitted. He could hear Usagi's and Luna's loud laughter even with the phone held away from his ear to dampen her screeching.

"Maybe the girls have some cash. Mom would loan me some money too," Usagi told Mamoru after she was through laughing.

It was a long, long day in the district jail. Mamoru was tired of sitting, tired of pacing, tired of thinking, and very, very tired of waiting. He wondered if she would ever come get him. He heard catcalls further down the row of cells, "Lookie there. It's the 'I didn't say no' girl. Hey baby, after you drop the litter, you can forget to say no to me too." His rescuer was on the way.

The guard accompanying Usagi stopped outside Mamoru's cell. "Is this the guy?" he asked her.

Mamoru saw Usagi's face peering in the slot. The panel slid shut again, but not before he heard her laughter and reply that it was her husband. The door opened and the guard tossed in a pair of jeans and some shoes. As Mamoru looked up, he saw Usagi's father standing behind her glowering at him. Mamoru dressed as quickly as he could and followed them down the row, apologizing profusely to her stone-faced father.

There were more catcalls and comments accompanying their exit. "Bye, Bunny Boy. Come back and visit us."

"Hey Buns, come show us some more ass!"

Last was an even more excited exclamation, "That's not the 'I didn't say no' girl; it's Legs! The one on the poster with Bun Boy!" Mamoru cringed; he hoped her father hadn't picked up on that one too.

Usagi prattled, "All I could raise was 50,000 yen. I borrowed from all the girls and pawned the black pearl set you gave me for my birthday. I want it back. I called my parent's house, but Mom was out and Dad answered the phone. He gave me the rest of the money. He wants interest though." Mr. Tsukino maintained an icy silence the whole way out to his car.

"What did they mean by Bunny Boy and Legs?" Usagi asked.

Mamoru reddened and glanced over at Mr. Tsukino, he was gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white. His angry aura was almost visible. "Apparently someone made a poster out of that compromising photo of us that Shingo sold to Gossipbyters. Some long-term inmate put it on the jail cell wall. He grimaced in remembrance. That's why I got in a couple of fights. You don't want to know what they wanted to do to me!"

Usagi giggled, "My poor baby is just too popular for his own good."

"Hey, I never did get my pickled eels and plum candy." Usagi shifted her attention to her father. "Daddy, can you please stop by the market and get me some?" she whined. "I'm sooo hungry!"

~*~*~*


	15. Chapter 15

~*~*~*

Double Delivery

~*~*~*

Usagi and Mamoru stopped at the receptionist's desk at the Tokyo Production Co. offices. "We're here for an appointment with Mr. Starr; our agent said she would meet us here," Usagi told the company hostess. Mamoru had spotted Jenai Rien entering right behind them. The hostess escorted them to the office on the eleventh floor. Jenai Rien introduced the pair to the film company personnel manager.

"We wanted to discuss possible roles in one of our upcoming projects next summer." With a sideways look at Usagi, Mr. Starr smiled, "For once I'm glad there was a delay in our production schedule. I wouldn't have been able to go with my first choice for the female lead."

By now their curiosity was aroused. Usagi bit, "What show did you have in mind?"

Mr. Starr regarded her slyly, "We want both of you for the leads in a continuation of the Sailor V story set here in Tokyo that includes our own Sailor senshi. It will be accompanied by a manga series based on the movie and associated promotional items. We plan on filming it locally here in town next summer. The lead roles are filled except for Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Venus. Do you think you might be interested?"

A loud shrill squeal from Usagi confirmed her interest. Mamoru's wry smile at Usagi's reaction was his only comment. "I take it you're interested," Mr. Starr commented.

Mamoru answered, "In the concept, yes. Of course our agent and I will want to review the details."

Usagi had another question, "Did you know that the actress who played Sailor V in the original movie lives here in town? And she's one of my best friends?"

Mr. Starr smiled at her comment, "Of course, that was one of the things that made the concept so intriguing."

Mamoru asked, "What made you think of us?"

"Well actually, my secretary saw something in one of the gossip papers that caught her eye and she brought it to my attention." He pulled the familiar issue of Gossipbyters out of a file.

Mamoru groaned, "Not that again! Well at least some good came out of that stupid, embarrassing thing."

Mr. Starr commented, "I really liked the way you two looked in the Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask costumes. You could double for the real thing."

~*~*~*

Usagi hugged Mamoru. "Since I haven't been fighting with you guys these last few months, I've missed my masked man. Do Tuxedo Mask for me."

Mamoru grinned and answered, "Your wish is my command, Princess," as he transformed. Bowing and handing her a red rose, he said, "At your service, Your Highness."

Looking speculatively at her, he asked, "Can you still do Sailor Moon?"

"I don't know. It takes a lot of energy. It would be interesting to see what happens," she answered. She chanted the transformation sequence and the lights began swirling around her. It was apparent from the beginning that something was awry.

'Tuxedo Mask' began laughing so hard he fell off the arm of the couch where he was perched and onto the floor. He sputtered, "A watermelon with legs, a potato on toothpicks, its . . . Sailor Muumuu!"

Usagi gasped, "Something's wrong! It isn't stable, I feel really dizzy." She continued to swirl in the cloud of lights. When she finally came to a stop, it wasn't Sailor Moon that faced Tuxedo Mask, but the form of Princess Serenity. Still hugely pregnant however.

Her face taking on a hurt look, Serenity said, "That wasn't very nice calling me Sailor Muu-Muu you know."

"But you should have seen yourself, it was hilarious," he protested. Realizing he was on her sh_t list big time and had better attempt a return to her good graces, Tuxedo Mask tried to think of a good recovery. His usual quick wit didn't seem to be working. He couldn't even think up an appropriate haiku. "Well you look .. uh .. really pretty now," he uttered lamely.

"I'm still mad at you," Serenity retorted. "You're not going to get off that easy. Well, you've given me an idea for my Halloween costume any way. I'll be Sailor Muu-Muu," she told him.

"Why do you need a costume? Aren't you a little old to go trick or treating?" needled Tuxedo Mask.

"For your information, it's for a good cause. Ami does volunteer work at a daycare center for poor children and she volunteered the senshi to take them trick or treating. I am their leader after all," Serenity replied.

"They're not going transformed are they?" he asked.

"Oh, no. The girls are just going to make costumes that look like their fukus. As punishment, you can help me make mine. And maybe you should come too. You can be Tuxedo Dork," she added slyly.

"Not me, Muu-Muu. I have to work at the hospital that night. They always get a lot of extra people coming in on Halloween, plus it's a full moon too."

"Well I have something else in mind for you now, Tuxedo Mask," Princess Serenity commented cryptically. Her expression was mischievous, if not down right evil. Her scepter appeared in her hand and she pointed it at Tuxedo Mask. A glowing silver fog surrounded him and he floated up into the air. A small squawk accompanied the frantic expression visible even through his mask. Serenity gestured with the wand toward the other room and the suspended Tuxedo Mask floated into the bedroom. Leaving him suspended in mid-air, Princess Serenity followed. Another wave of her wand and his clothes disappeared.

An outraged "What!" accompanied the thump as she allowed his suspended form to drop to the bed. "I think you can figure it out," Usagi answered smugly.

Mamoru laughed, "I know you've been too uncomfortable and haven't felt like that lately, but I'm afraid you've waited too long Princess. I don't think I should be 'knocking on the door' this close to your due date."

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"To put it bluntly, I shouldn't be banging on your cervix," he answered.

"Well, you're a smart man, I'm sure your devious mind can think of some other way to please me," a somewhat irritated Princess retorted.

Mamoru regarded her slyly, "Anything that causes you to climax has a slight possibility of inducing labor. I don't think you want that, baby."

Usagi stomped her foot in frustration at the aggravating man posing nude before her on their bed. "I don't care. I'm tired of being pregnant anyway. I want to you do something I like..." she ordered finally.

A bit later, Usagi was practically purring. Feeling like reciprocating the favor she murmured, "Why don't you curl around so I can reach you too. You know I like to see how you respond; you're my favorite toy."

~*~*~*

"Ami, how much farther do we have to go? My feet hurt, my back is killing me, and these silly babies won't quit pushing and shoving each other," Usagi whined.

Minako clapped, "Come on kids, just three more houses and we're done. Who has the most candy?"

One of the little boys pointed to Usagi and said, "Sailor Muu-Muu does. She took a piece away from us at each house and said it was the Sailor chocolate tax. What's a tax?"

Rei glowered at Usagi, "You should be ashamed of yourself, taking candy away from little kids."

Sputtering, Usagi laughed, "I was just kidding. I was going to give it back when we got them back to the Halloween party."

Rei said, "Yeah, right and I'm Queen of the Universe."

Usagi looked down guiltily. "Well just take it and hold it yourself if you don't believe me." She handed Rei her extra bag of candy and stuck out her tongue at Rei.

Makoto was helping a couple of the little girls adjust their long dresses. As all the children ran up to the next house she stood back watching. "You know Ami, I didn't really want to do this but it has turned out to be a lot of fun. You're really good with these kids. I've enjoyed seeing them have so much fun."

One of the little boys held back and just stood there staring quizzically at the girls. "What?" asked Rei.

The boy folded his arms and said, "I still don't believe you're Sailor senshi. There isn't any Sailor Muu-Muu anyway. She's too fat to be Sailor Moon."

Ami looked down at him and shrugged. "You're right. You've guessed our secret. These are really just Halloween costumes. But did you know some of us are movie stars?"

"No way," he answered disbelievingly.

Ami continued, "Sailor Venus played the original Sailor V and she's going to be Sailor Venus in the new movie they are going to make next summer. I bet you hadn't heard about that yet. It's supposed to be a big secret, the movie people told us."

Makoto came over and joined the conversation. "I'm in the movie too. I play the chef at the restaurant where they always have the Sailor meetings. Rei, Sailor Mars over there, helped write some of the songs for the movie and if you listen carefully you can hear her when they sing the first one. Ami here, Sailor Mercury is what they call the technical advisor. She tells them what they are doing wrong with the costumes or attacks or whatever."

By this time the other children had returned and were listening to the story Makoto was telling. The smallest girl asked, "But who plays Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask." Minako laughed and pointed at Usagi who was busily devouring her candy. "Sailor Muu-Muu over there is going to play Sailor Moon. Her husband is going to be Tuxedo Mask."

The skeptical little boy commented again, "She's too fat to be Sailor Moon and where is Tuxedo Mask."

Usagi answered him, "I am too Sailor Moon and I'm not fat! Mamoru is working at the hospital today and he couldn't come. He's almost a doctor."

"Are too fat!" taunted the little boy.

Usagi waddled over and bent down and said loudly, "I'm not fat!" An uncertain expression flitted across her face. "Ami, I feel weird all of a sudden."

The little boy started laughing hysterically and pointed at Usagi. "Look at Sailor Muu-Muu. She's peeing all over the sidewalk!" At this all the children and the girls turned to stare at Usagi and started laughing.

Ami held up her hand. "Minako, can you take these kids back to the party alone? Makoto and Rei, you two need to go 'change' and come back and help get Usagi to the hospital. It's started."

Usagi looked frightened all of a sudden and opened her mouth to start wailing. "Nooooo! It's too soon. I want to go home. I want my Mommy." She doubled over and grabbed her belly. "I'm gonna kill Mamoru," she growled as she straightened up, gasping.

Ami said soothingly, "It will be all right. Rei and Makoto can carry you if you can't walk. We'll transform and get you there in plenty of time."

Usagi moaned, "My back is killing me; who stuck a knife in it?"

Ami looked at her questioningly, "Usagi how long has your back been hurting? And does it stay the same or get worse and better? And didn't you say earlier the babies were kicking and pushing and moving a lot?"

Usagi answered, "My back has been hurting off and on for the past two days. It started getting really bad this morning. I hoped all the walking would make it feel better. And the babies have really been moving around a lot today and part of yesterday. Why?"

Rei looked at Usagi astonishedly, "Meatball Head, you idiot, you've been in labor for the past two days. Didn't you tell Mamoru any of this?"

Ami agreed, "She's right Usagi."

"How should I know. I haven't done this before," complained Usagi. "I haven't had any cramps until now. I've been complaining about my back for a couple of months. Mamoru usually does acupressure on it and then it feels better for a while. I didn't know this was any different."

Sailor Muu-Muu arrived at the hospital emergency room moaning and complaining, as Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter supported her in a fireman's carry. Ami in her Sailor Mercury costume brought up the rear. Sailor Mars explained that they had found Usagi out trick or treating with some children and decided to help her get to the hospital as their 'good deed for the day'. Ami hastily called Usagi's doctor and attempted to page Mamoru. The labor and deliver ward was filling rapidly and he was swamped with work. The girls transformed back and accompanied Usagi to her room. They were not the only people to arrive at the hospital that night in costume. A number of staff were also strangely dressed; their staff parties were interrupted by the steady in-flow of patients as well.

~*~*~*

The nurse's aide poked her head inside the delivery suite and asked, "Sorry to bother you again. Could Mr. Chiba take a look at the woman in room next door and see how far along she is? The doctor on this wing can't get to her for at least another hour or so and all the L & D nurse practitioners are tied up."

Usagi protested, "You can't leave me now!"

"Honey bunny, it will only be a few minutes. I'm still 'on call' until my shift is over. Your mom is right here. You've got at least half an hour before transition is over," Mamoru said as he started for the door.

"You can't look at some strange woman down 'there'!" she protested.

"It's just part of my job. It's no different for me than for Ami or her mom. You remember when I told you last week about stopping the ambulance on the side of the freeway. I delivered a baby then and you thought it was great." Mamoru rattled on.

Ikuko shook her head, "You just don't get it, do you? Men!"

"But I can't yell and cuss at you if you're not in here when it hurts," whined Usagi.

"I knew it. That's the real reason!" Mamoru winked at her mother as he slipped out the door.

"Hi, how are you doing? I'm Mamoru. They asked me to check on you," Mamoru said as he looked at the chart the nurse's aide handed to him.

"Where's my doctor? He should be here by now," Mei asked.

"There's a horrible traffic jam. He's stuck there. Tonight has been a zoo all over town. It's Halloween and a full moon. The wards here at the hospital are all full. There's a couple of unfortunate women out in the hall that they just put screens around. You came in early enough so at least you got a room. Let's see, four centimeters, it will be a while. Do you have any family or friends who can wait here with you?" he asked.

"No, doctor. My husband and family are out of town and my friend is keeping my other two kids," She gasped out as she panted between contractions.

"Oh, sorry. I'm not a doctor yet. I'm just a third year medical student. But I'm a paramedic so I have delivered lots [exaggerating a bit here, aren't we] of babies. My wife is in the room next door. We're having twins," he added with a goofy grin. His expression became more serious. "No woman should have to wait through this all alone. Would you like me to ask my friend Ami to come sit with you? She is studying to be a doctor like her mom. I think you two would like each other."

Mei nodded. It was lonely this time, with the aide just looking in occasionally.

Rei poked her head in the door. "Mamoru get your butt back in there if you want to deliver the first baby. He's already crowning and Usagi is threatening to climb off the table and come drag you back herself."

"I don't believe it happened that fast! Rei would you stay here with Mei until the nurse comes back, she doesn't have anyone here." Adding, "Rei is a priestess, she should be good at helping you with your breathing and focus trance." Mamoru bounced out the door.

"You don't have to stay if you want to be with your friend," Mei said.

"No problem. It's only supposed to be family in there anyway right now," Rei answered.

"That guy sure chattered a lot. Most doctors are in and out as fast as they can be."

"Mamoru is a chatterbox? That's a switch. I guess he's hyper because he is so nervous," Rei commented.

Next door, "OOOwwwaaahhh!"

"Honey, you need to focus on pushing, not screaming. It just uses up the energy you need to push," Ikuko coached.

Usagi panted, she just could not seem to get her breath between contractions, which were coming so fast now. Mamoru walked in the room and over to her side. Usagi grabbed his shirt and dragged him down. "Where were you? Why weren't you here?" she screamed at him. "They gave me a shot in my bottom. They lied and said it would stop the epeeseewhatamy from hurting. That mean nurse snipped me with a scissors! I FELT IT AND IT DID TOO HURT! AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"

As another contraction began, she shifted her grip to his hands; it felt like she was trying to crush them. Usagi dropped her barriers and let all that she was feeling flow toward Mamoru. It hit like the proverbial cement truck; his shields were down as he was linked to her.

"Shit," gasped Mamoru. His knees sagged when the blast of raw pain hit his nervous system. It was like THAT?

Her thought blast followed, "And the 'transition' was WORSE and YOU WEREN'T HERE, JERK!"

"Push, just one or two more," her mother encouraged.

The nurse tapped Mamoru, "If you want to play baby catcher, you need to get in place. It should be out the next good push."

As Usagi (and Mamoru) caught her breath, Mamoru managed to pry himself loose from her iron grip. He went to the door and called to Rei to come in. "Why don't you come in and hold her hands." He would need to remember to shield tightly when the next wave of pain hit, if he was to be of any use. Usagi asked weakly, "Why did I say I didn't want any drugs? Why? Why? Why?" Directed to Mamoru, "You knew if I waited too long they wouldn't give me anesthesia, if I wanted it. WHY DIDN'T YOU  
TELL ME!"

"Baby, we talked about that at least three times before today. I was at work when you came in; we were so swamped I couldn't leave my patients. By the time they let me come stay with you it was too late," Mamoru protested. It didn't matter what he said; she wasn't listening by then, being otherwise occupied.

With just a small cry, a startled exclamation at the freezing air really, their first born made his appearance. Mamoru snatched a flannel blanket from the nearby pile and swaddled the newborn after clamping and severing the cord. He held him close, refusing to pass him to the nurse for examination, cleaning and measurements as expected. "He says that he's cold," Mamoru exclaimed looking at Usagi for confirmation. He moved over and handed the baby to her, "Here, I think he wants you to hold him."

An expression of wonder crossed Usagi's face as she cradled the infant on her chest. "He missed the sound of my heart beat; he's settling down now," she commented. The baby's blue eyes opened and he seemed to look at his mother and father briefly before squinting his eyes shut again at the bright lights.

"I love you," they whispered to each other.

Ikuko and Rei crowded in to get a closer look at the infant. "He's absolutely darling. I think he looks a little like Shingo did when he was first born. It's too bad Kenji is so squeamish; he's missing out on a lot," commented Ikuko.

Rei said, "Makoto, Minako, Kenji, and Shingo are all out in the waiting room. I left Ami with the woman next door. She seemed to catch on to the self-hypnosis techniques right away. She said it didn't hurt any more. Meatball Head, I told you that you should have practiced meditation techniques more often."

Usagi grimaced, "It's starting again. I hope this doesn't take as long. I'm already worn out." Ikuko took the baby and held him briefly before she gave him to the nurse to take his measurements and clean him off.

Rei looked thoughtful for a moment, "Mamoru ought to be able to damp some of the pain and feed you some extra energy. Listen to the sound of my voice and I'll help you with the rapport through your link."

Usagi's labor to deliver the second born son proceeded rapidly. She was much more focused and at the same time more relaxed. Rei's guidance helped Mamoru to support her efforts. Usagi's obstetrician finally finished in surgery and made an appearance at the same time as the second baby. Usagi reached up and took him immediately. "He wants to be with his brother," she laughed and handed him back to Mamoru. "It's amazing to actually get a feeling of what someone so little wants."

"They've inherited your telepathy with each other and will probably have the kind that often occurs between twins as well," commented Rei.

"Do you want to repair the episiotomy?" the doctor asked Mamoru. "I don't usually let students do that sort of thing but I thought you might like to this time." She smiled as she teased Mamoru and Usagi.

"Uh no. I'll pass. I don't want to botch the job and never hear the end of it," he answered as he watched Usagi's skeptical expression.

The delivery room seemed crowded and busy as the doctor finished with Usagi and examined the infants. The nurse washed, diapered, and performed the necessary tests under Mamoru's watchful eye. She placed the babies in the incubator to help them maintain a stable temperature for the next few hours. Usagi, her mother, Rei, and Ami, who had come in as well, chattered quietly as everything was cleaned up and made ready to transfer to Usagi's hospital room. The nurse asked Mamoru, "What names should I record for the two boys. Will the first one be a junior?"

Mamoru hastily answered, "No, I don't want to do that. It could get too confusing. What do you think Usagi?"

Usagi flashed a brilliant smile at him, "Let's go a little further back and use Endymion and Mamoru for first names."

"We should use your family name for a middle name I think," Mamoru added.

The doctor said that Kenji, Shingo, Makoto and Minako could come in briefly. "We need to get Usagi and the boys moved to a room shortly. It's still really busy tonight and I'm sure we'll need the delivery room," she explained as she got ready to go on to the next patient.

After everyone had a chance to congratulate Usagi and Mamoru and get a good look at the two sleepy babies, the girls left for home and Shingo went to fetch some food from the cafeteria. Mamoru told Usagi that he would help her walk to her room. Usagi wrinkled her nose and sniffed the air around little Endymion whom she was holding. Ikuko had Mamoru and noticed the same aroma coming from him as well.

She laughed, "I guess the saying that twins do everything together is true." Her eyes twinkled with mischief and she looked toward Usagi, who nodded in agreement. Ikuko took Endymion from Usagi and carried the two babies over to Kenji, who so far had just been standing around watching. Ikuko handed the boys to her husband and directed, "Kenji, you haven't had a chance to hold your grandsons yet. Take them while Mamoru and I help Usagi to her room. And by the way, I think they've each made a present just for you."

~*~*~*

Finis

~*~*~*


End file.
